Distressed
by Adonia Eisynee
Summary: What happens when Harry stays dead, Hermione kills Voldemort, Severus Snape survives, and Hermione runs from the murder and torture she inflicted? Will they be able to survive this new threat? Who's now controlling the Death Eaters? Find out! Hermione/Severus, Mature content.
1. Chapter 1

"Warning, content is taken straight from the book, nothing here belongs to me, though I wish I was creative enough to write this; all of the content in the first couple of chapters belongs to JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."-AimeeP

Chapter 1

There was a terrible scream. Harry saw Snape's face losing the little color it had left; it whitened as his black eyes widened, as the snake's fangs pierced his neck, as he failed to push the enchanted cage off himself, as his knees gave way and he fell to the floor.

"I regret it," said Voldemort coldly.

He turned away; there was no sadness in him, no remorse. It was time to leave this shack and take charge, with a wand that would now do his full bidding. He pointed at the starry cage holding the snake, which drifted upward off Snape, who fell sideways onto the floor, blood gushing from the wounds in his neck. Voldemort swept from the room without a backward glance, and the great serpent floated after him in it's huge protective sphere.

Back in the tunnel and his own mind, Harry opened his eyes. He had drawn blood biting down on his knuckles in the effort not to shout out. Now he was looking through the tiny cracks between crate and wall, watching a foot in a black boot tremble on the floor.

"Harry!" breathed Hermione behind him, but he had already pointed his wand at the crate blocking his view. It lifted an inch into the air and drifted sideways silently. As quickly as he could, he pulled himself up into the room.

He did not know why he was doing it, why he was approaching the dying man. He did not know what he felt as he saw Snape's white face, and the fingers trying to staunch the bloody wound at his neck. Harry took off the invisibility cloak and looked down upon the man he hated, whose widening black eyes found Harry as he tried to speak. Harry bent over him, and Snape seized the front of his robes and pulled him close.

A terrible rasping, gurgling noise issued from Snape's throat.

"Take...it...Take...it..."

Something more than blood was leaking from Snape. Silvery blue, neither gas nor liquid, it gushed from his mouth and his ears and his eyes, and Harry knew what it was, but did not know what to do.

A flask, conjured from thin air, was thrust into his shaking hands by Hermione. Harry lifted the silvery substance into it with his wand. When the flask was full to the brim, and Snape looked as though there was no blood left in him, his grip on Harry's robes slackened.

"Look...at...me..." he whispered.

The green eyes found the black, but after a second, something in the depths of the dark pair seemed to vanish, leaving them fixed, blank and empty. The hand holding Harry thudded to the floor, and Snape moved no more.a


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Harry remained kneeling at Snape's side simply staring down at him, until quite suddenly a high, cold voice spoke so close to them that Harry jumped to his feet, the flask gripped tightly in his hands, thinking that Voldemort had reentered the room.

Voldemort's voice reverberated from walls and floors, and Harry realized that he was talking to Hogwarts and to all the surrounding area, that the residents of Hogsmeade and all those still fighting in the castle would hear him as clearly as if he stood beside them, his breath on the back of their necks, a deathblow away.

"You have fought," said the high, cold voice, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery.

"Yet, you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen, Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste.

"Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately.

"You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat you injured.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted you friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

Both Ron and Hermione shook their heads frantically, looking at Harry.

"Don't listen to him," said Ron.

"It'll be all right," said Hermione wildly. "Let's-let's get back to the castle, if he's gone to the forest we'll need to think of a new plan-"

She glanced at Snapes body, a sadness she never expected creeping up on her. She wanted to kneel beside him and nurse him back to health. She could see a very faint rise and fall of his chest. 'He's breathing?' she asked herself. Then it registered in her mind.

"You two go on, Harry, go look at those memories, Ron, stay with Harry, you need to protect him, make sure he get's the last few hoarcrox. Now go." She saw the two boys staring curiously at her. "What? Get a move on, neither of us have the time to daddle."

"What are you doing Hermione? Why aren't you coming with?" Ron asked her.

"Snape's still breathing. I'm going to do what I can to help him. If I can't and he dies, I'll join you all at the front line. But if I am able to help him survive, I'm going to stay with him." Harry nodded. He understood her need to help the potions master. He knew she had respected him, even if it didn't seem like it sometimes. Ron, however, was too caught up in the war to notice.

"The git's dead, he isn't going to help us any and you know that. We have what he gave us, hopefully something good, but he's dead Hermione, you will be wasting your time, and us a good ally. You need to help us." Hermione glanced at Ron, she thought through quickly, assessing the situation, trying for a compromise.

"Ron, if I can get him healed, we may have a powerful weapon in finding all the remaining Death Eaters, because after this, they'll all flee. We do need him still." Hermione saw a slight understanding in Ron's eyes, but knew he would still fight back. "It will be fine, you have your jobs and responsibility. It isn't mine. Mine is here with Snape. Now go," she hissed, shoving them. Harry turned around pulling her into a tight hug.

"Be careful, Hermione," he whispered. She nodded into his shoulder, unable to speak. She was scared, she was afraid for her friends, for her professor, for her families, for herself. But most of all, for Harry. He had suffered so much through this war, from the time he was a baby. It wasn't fair that he had to go through so much trouble in his life. But after today, hopefully, it would all get better. She watched as her two best friends left her in the Shrieking Shack. She glanced down at Snape, and sighed. "Oh, Severus, what have you done to yourself now."

Hermione walked over to her potions professor, pulling her wand out. She needed Fawkes, but most of all she needed a Bezoar. She couldn't remember how to summon Fawkes, but she knew there was a bezoar in Snape's classroom, or office. She held her wand out in front of her, before closing her eyes. "Accio Bezoar!" She didn't think it would work, Snape keeps everything locked up. But a Bezoar from somewhere came crashing a hole in the window as it cam toward her.

She knelt down beside her professor, with the Bezoar in her hand. She opened his mouth, pushing the Bezoar down his throat, hoping that it would work against the venom from the snake, Nagini. Snape coughed, and Hermione sighed in relief. But it wasn't over, she knew he had lost a lot of blood. Plus she needed to close his wounds. She pointed her wand at the hole in his neck and whispered a simple spell, one she had learned from the mediwitch, Madam Pompfrey. It closed, not all the way, but it was no longer a gaping hole in his throat. She pulled a blood replenishment potion out of her pocket, unshrank it and opened it, forcing Snape to drink it. And then she waited. She patted her pocket, making sure she still had some of the potions in her pocket, she had made multiple potions for today. At least two of anything that would help them. She didn't know about Snape, per se, but she knew there would be a case where it was needed.

Hermione sat beside Severus, he could feel her there, he felt everything that she had done, and he was proud. He knew she was an intelligent witch, it always annoyed him that she was a little bit better at everything. He had almost gagged when she forced him to drink the potion, but didn't even have the strength for that. He could hear her humming, could feel her run her hands through his hair soothingly, and didn't want to let her know he was gaining his strength back. He wanted to stay there just a bit longer before making his new found presence known. A thought shot through his mind, however, and he shot up off of the pillow he had been laying on, he wanted to complain because it had been soft and so comfortable, but the war around him made him realize what was more important. He shot around and glared at Hermione, noticing, that there had been no pillow. He had been laying on her legs. He shook his head mentally as she stared at him wide eyed in shock. He hoped she wouldn't throw herself at him, but part of him did.

"What are you doing?! You should have left me and protected Potter!" He hissed at her, making her cringe. She wasn't going to throw herself at him after cringing away, he figured that much out. But Ms. Granger was always full of surprises.

When Hermione got her composure back after being scared half to death by a nearly dead man throwing himself off of her, her smile grew, and she threw herself at him. Holding him around the waist, almost in tears she was so happy, but she bit them back. She could feel him stiffen, but she didn't move away, but remembering the question she had to answer.

"Harry is using the memories you gave him. He's looking at them, and he's looking for the final three horcroax." She never let go once.

He tried peeling her off of him, but it didn't work. It was like she was glued to him. "Ms. Granger, please remove yourself."

"Sorry, Professor." She blushed as she pulled herself away, smiling.

Snape tried to stand, and she reached for him. "Let go of me, we have to get back out there." Hermione shook her head.

"You need to stay here, you lost a lot of blood, and yes, while I gave you the potion, and the Bezoar, I'm not a mediwitch, and that won't hold very well if you are constantly moving. Everything out there will be fine, and I can't just leave you alone to die because we need you." Snape wanted to hear her say that she needed him more than most, because Merlin knew he needed her. Not explaining why he kept ranting at her about being smart. Her concern for him melted him a little, however, but he held his ground. He knew she was right, but was never really able to admit to being wrong.

"We have to go out there, We HAVE to go out there and get rid of Voldemort." He wanted to shove his way around to get back to the battle field, but he felt a small hand on his shoulder bring him back to his knees when he tried to stand.

"No, Severus. I can go, if you are determined that they need help, but the only help you can give us right now is to remember every name of every Death Eater so we can get them all, even whether or not they flee from us. That's the only way you can help us right now." Snape knew that she was right, he wanted to fight, but all he did was hang his head and nod at her. Hermione leaned over and gave him a quick hug. "Any tips? I'm about to go out there and make sure that Harry stays safe. I need you to stay here, do not leave the shack. No where is safe at the moment, hide down below, in the tunnel. You have a better chance, and keep yourself dissilusioned." Snape nodded, and then he had an idea.

"Ms. Granger, stand up." Hermione tilted her head to the side before standing up. "Hand me your wand." She did. Snape waved it around her, muttering an incantation under his breath. Her body glowed green for a split second, before shimmering around her, and then dispersing. "Now, to dissilusion you." He did so, she glanced at him curiously. "Ms. Granger, I need you to stay safe. I have words to share with you, and if you die I won't have a know-it-all to mess with for another year. Stay safe, promise me that." Hermione glanced at him, confused. "Promise me Hermione Granger!" Snape was desperate to hear her say it, to tell him she would be safe.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Hermione could hear the desperation in his voice, she saw his hand twitch, as if he wanted to reach out to her, but he remained still, as did his hand. She watched him for a moment.

"Promise me, Hermione Granger!" he had snapped at her, but his tone of voice held no malice. Only fear, and concern for his student.

"I promise, Professor, don't worry," she whispered. He strode over to her, pulling her into his arms before whispering in her ear. Her eyes grew wide at what he said, before he shoved her down into the tunnel back to the school.

Hermione wasted no time in leaving the professor, she warded the area, and put a silence charm on him, making Hermione the only person, or being, to hear him. She glanced back and saw a figure shrink in the shadows, as he pushed a thought into her mind. "Go, don't worry about me." 'So, you are reading my mind hmm?' She thought to herself, but more to him than herself. "Yes," she heard his thought whisper. "It's the only way to keep tabs on you, I meant what I said to you." She almost stumbled, but due to having him inside her head, she continued on.

Hermione stumbled around the bundles on the ground, ignoring the sickening feeling of knowing what they were, slowly making her way to the Great Hall. The sight that she found there was frightening and sad. Little hope was left in her, she looked over to her side and saw Harry's pale face looking toward a group of mourning redheads. Hermione looked in that direction and gasped, she knew he had been dead, she didn't want to believe it. But, there he was, Fred was surrounded by his mourning family. Hermione touched Harry gently on his shoulder, and smiled slightly. She left him in the doorway, making her way over to pull Ginny into her arms.

"Shh, Gin. It'll be alright. This will be over soon. I promise you that." She soothed the crying girl.

"I don't know how it can be alright, he was my brother Hermione. And now he's gone, George is going to take it a lot worse than the rest of us too..."

Hermione looked at the bodies next to Fred, Remus and Tonks, pale and still and peaceful looking, apparently asleep beneath the dark, enchanted ceiling. Hermione looked over to the entrance into the Great Hall and watched as Harry reeled backward from the doorway. She watched as he turned and ran up the marble staircase. She stayed where she was, knowing where she was needed most. Harry had business to attend to. She didn't know how long they had been in the Great Hall, had not known how long she had been with Snape, but she didn't think that Harry had looked at the memories he had given him.

Hermione knew where he was going, but she couldn't stay put. She had to follow him, she knew he was safe, but she felt like she needed to be there. Snape was no longer sending her messages, probably because he couldn't see her anymore, but she knew he was there. She knew what she had to do, she tilted Ginny's face up toward her.

"Ginny, I need to go after Harry. We have something to take care of that could help. Stay here and do what ever you can," She whispered to the girl that was so much like the sister she always wanted, but could never have. The only sister she would ever have.

Hermione rushed after Harry, and watched as he ran to the gargoyle protecting the headmaster's chambers. He called out the previous headmaster's name and the gargoyle jumped to the side. She ran swiftly through the doorway and came up beside him. He took little notice of her, but he did grab her hand and squeezed it briefly. He ran quickly to open a little closet-like room, that held the pensieve.

Harry dropped each memory into the stone bowl and watched as the silver blue swirled inside the bowl. They put their hands on either side of the bowl and was sucked into the memory.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

He watched her as she saw every memory he had given Harry. He wanted so much to not have to hide here, Severus wanted so much to help the young witch. But he knew she was right. She would be safer with him down here hiding in the tunnels. If he had been out there with her, with the kind of person she is, she would have gotten herself killed trying to shield him. He could only trust the shielding charm he had put on her earlier. He couldn't protect her from physical harm, but if protecting her against the cruciatus charm would help, he would put as much of his magic in it just to keep her safe. He didn't care about it draining him mentally or physically. With his witch out there fighting for her life, fighting for all their lives, he was willing to drain himself until he died to protect her as best as he could.

Severus had seen the look of wonder in Hermione's eyes as her body suddenly had a green aura around her, but he didn't have time to explain, he knew he needed to hide, and she needed to protect her friend. She had to cause the end. He watched as Hermione watched his memories with the Potter boy. He knew that she could feel him there in the back of her mind, she probably didn't even realize that he could still project his thoughts to her. He was one of the few who could. Severus watched as Potter's eyes widened at something he had seen, making his Hermione blush. The time in potions where he had been mean to her, and her being angry, or afraid of him. How it was all a ploy to hide everything that they had really said during the class. He had a mask to keep up because of the other Slytherins. She understood, he had used her in a way. Harry looked at her.

"You knew everything and said nothing to me?" Severus growled at the accusation in Potter's eyes.

"I couldn't risk Snape getting caught. It was his way of protecting everyone. All the messages came through me when he couldn't see Dumbledore. I was the one filling everyone in, even though it was Dumbledore saying it was Snape, it was me." Harry nodded, Hermione could see that he would be badgering her about it later, by the look in his eyes. 'At least he realizes we have better things to worry about other than his ego,' she thought, more to herself then Severus, but he responded anyway.

'You are right on that, but if he badgers you too much about it, I will not be held responsible for what I may do to the little twit.' Hermione smiled at his thoughts. She appreciated that she could help Severus, appreciated the bond they had. Not many had it. But the moment she had been in his class for the first time, she had felt it. It wasn't romantic, it was just, there. A feeling that once she met him there were two sharing her mind, and she was sharing his. They were mentally connected. Nothing romantic, nothing physical or emotional in any way. Just something that occurred, and was quite handy if he didn't say so himself.

They, the three of them, watched on as his memories drew to an end. Seeing everything that Severus had intended on Harry seeing, knowing Hermione knew it all already. And then a memory, that not even Hermione knew, came and could be seen.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Why," Snape said with no preamble, "why did you put on that ring? It carries a curse, surely you realized that. Why even touch it?"

Marvolo Gaunt's ring lay on the desk before Dumbledore. It was cracked; the sword of Gryffindor lay beside it.

Dumbledore grimaced.

"I...was a fool. Sorely tempted..."

"Tempted by what?"

Dumbledore did not answer.

"It is a miracle you managed to return here!" Snape sounded furious. "That ring carried a curse of extraordinary power, to contain it is all we can hope for; I have trapped the curse in one hand for the time being-"

Dumbledore raised his blackened, useless hand, and examined it with the expression of one being shown an interesting curio.

"You have done very well, Severus. How long do you think I have?"

Dumbledore's tone was conversational; he might have been asking for a weather forecast. Snape hesitated, and then said, "I cannot tell. Maybe a year. There is no halting such a spell forever. It will spread eventually, it is the sort of curse that strengthens over time."

Dumbledore smiled. The news that he had less than a year to live seemed a matter of little or no concern to him...

'He was a fool, a brilliant fool, but a fool none the less,' Severus said in Hermione's mind. Hermione smiled, the memory continued on:

"I am fortunate, extremely fortunate, that I have you, Severus."

"If you had only summoned me a little earlier, I might have been able to do more, buy you more time!" said Snape furiously. He looked down at the broken ring and the sword. "Did you think that breaking the ring would break the curse?"

"Something like that...I was delirious, no doubt..." said Dumbledore. With an effort he straightened himself in his chair. "Well, really, this makes matters much more straightforward."

Snape looked utterly perplexed. Dumbledore smiled.

"I refer to the plan Lord Voldemort is revolving around me. His plan to have the poor Malfoy boy murder me."

Snape sat down in the chair Harry had so often occupied, across the desk from Dumbledore. Harry could tell that he wanted to say more on the subject of Dumbledore's cursed hand, but the other held up in polite refusal to discuss the matter further. Scowling, Snape said, "The Dark Lord does not expect Draco to succeed. This is merely punishment for Lucius's recent failures. Slow torture for Draco's parents, while they watch him fail and pay the price."

"In short, the boy has had a death sentence pronounced upon him as surely as I have," said Dumbledore. "Now, I should have thought the natural successor to the job once Draco fails, is yourself?"

There was a short pause.

"That, I think, is the Dark Lord's plan."

"Lord Voldemort foresees a moment in the near future when he will not need a spy at Hogwarts?"

"He believes the school will soon be in his grasp, yes."

"And if it does fall into his grasp," said Dumbledore, "I have your word that you will do all in you power to protect the students of Hogwarts?"

Snape gave a stiff nod.

"Good. Now then. Your first priority will be to discover what Draco is up to. A frightened teenage boy is a danger to others as well as to himself. Offer him help and guidance, he ought to accept, he likes you-"

"-much less since his father has lost favor. Draco blames me, he thinks I have usurped Lucius's position."

"All the same, try, I am concerned less for myself than for accidental victims of whatever schemes might occur to the boy. Ultimately, of course, there is only one thing to be done if we are to save him from Lord Voldemort's wrath."

Snape raised his eyebrows and his tone was sardonic as he asked, "Are you intending to let him kill you?"

"Certainly not. You must kill me."

There was a long silence, broken only by an odd clicking noise. Fawkes, the phoenix was gnawing a bit of cuttle-bone.

"Would you like me to do it now?" asked Snape, his voice heavy with irony. "Or would you like a few moments to compose an epitaph?"

"Oh not quite yet," said Dumbledore, smiling. "I daresay the moment will present itself in due course. Given what has happened tonight," he indicated his withered hand, "we can be sure that it will happen within a year."

"If you don't mind dying," said Snape roughly, "why not let Draco do it?"

"That boy's soul is not yet so damaged," said Dumbledore. "I would not have it ripped apart on my account."

"And my soul, Dumbledore? Mine?"

"You alone know whether it will harm your soul to help an old man avoid pain and humiliation," said Dumbledore. "I ask this one great favor of you, Severus, because death is coming for me as surely as the Chudley Cannons will finish bottom of this year's league. I confess i should prefer a quick, painless exit to the protracted and messy affair it will be if, for instance, Greyback is involved-I hear Voldemort has recruited him? Or dear Bellatrix, who likes to play with her food before she eats it."

His tone was light, but his blue eyes pierced Snape as they had frequently pierced Harry, as though the soul they discussed was visible to him. At last Snape gave another curt nod.

Dumbledore seemed satisfied.

"Thank you, Severus..."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The memory shifted again, as the trio watched on, Harry unaware of the third presence residing in Hermione's mind. They watched as Dumbledore told Severus of Harry's connection to the Dark Lord, and of Nagini. Watched as he confunded Mundungus Fletcher to the idea of multiple Harry's as an escape, and a way to keep Harry safe, still telling Voldemort of the date they were leaving. Watched as Severus admitted his love for Lily Potter by showing his Patronus, which had been a white doe, just as hers had been. They watched as Severus planned how to give Harry the sword of Godric Gryffindor. And then they were thrown out of the memories, landing in the Headmaster's office with a thud.

Hermione watched as Harry took it all in, knowing that he had been scared. She mentally cursed Severus and Dumbledore for not telling her, or him, sooner. She knew that Harry was brave enough to walk into death's hands just to save those that he loved. She didn't want him to, Hermione wanted for him to survive. They all did. But the determined look in Harry's eyes had her realizing that he was stronger than anyone she had ever met. Severus realized that he was a true Gryffindor, yes he did have a lot of Slytherin in him too, Severus didn't like that the two were mixed. But the way Harry used both traits would make his mother, Lily, proud. Hermione pulled Harry into her arms and held him close, hoping to prolong the moment he pulled away and left her life forever.

"There is no other way 'Mione. I know that," he whispered. Her heart clenched for the boy who had become a brother to her in the years they knew each other. The boy who had been through so much with her, and through all of that, he had never turned his back on her. He stayed right by her side, tried to talk her into leaving him only to protect her.

"Shh, Harry. I know. I wish there was, honestly if there was another way, I'm sure Professor Snape would have found it." Severus confirmed her statement with a mental nod, she smiled into Harry's shoulder. He pulled away from her gently, knowing what he needed to do. Hermione saw a mild betrayal in the boy's eyes, and watched as the wheels turned as he thought of all he had seen, she knew he was thinking about how to do all of this. His heartbeats were just as numbered as his hours left to live, and he never knew. He turned to go, leaving her and Severus for the Forbidden Forest, and the end.

Hermione watched him go, trying to think of what else she could do. Severus pushed a thought into her mind, and she smiled sadistically as she left the Headmaster's office. Severus wanted to chuckle at the thoughts he had seen swirl around in her head, but stopped himself as they got worse and worse. Hermione's mind wasn't her own. He saw her kill many Death Eaters without mercy as she walked through the castle. She walked the distance, buying time before meeting Nagini, and Voldemort. She knew that Harry would die, but she wouldn't let it be in vain.

Hermione pushed every thought of mercy out of her mind, thinking of how to kill Voldemort and his damned snake. She didn't want it to be quick and easy, she wanted to draw it out. Make him feel everything that she had been through with her friends through the years. Pour all her anger and pain and suffering into one Cruciatus curse on the Dark Lord himself. Severus saw the Slytherin in her too, just as he had in Harry. The similarities in the two houses had never occurred to him before, how a Slytherin could be a Gryffindor, and a Gryffindor could be a Slytherin. it astounded him. He watched her take them down, one after the other. Watched as she saw Molly take out Bellatrix Lestrange. Watched as she smirked at the fall of the woman who had tortured her. She killed Death Eaters one by one as she made it to the front line. She stood before Voldemort, and heard Hagrid bellowing that Harry had died. She didn't allow herself to cry, she forced back every tear as she saw Neville walking slowly with the Sorting hat on his head. She didn't process all that had happened before she saw a flash of silver and gold, as Nagini's head flew through the air, and Voldemort hissed loudly. He pointed his wand at Neville as Neville shouted for Dumbledore's Army. But none had time because Hermione sent a Cruciatus at him before any of them even reached the front line.

Severus watched as his witch smirked at the writhing monster before her feet. Felt the heat and anger that she was putting into it. Her curse was only rivaled by the late Bellatrix, and Voldemort himself. He didn't know how long she had the curse on him, but the fighting had stopped on both sides as many gasped at shock at what she was doing, and that he had succumbed to her. She did stop, but as he smirked and went to stand she smirked in return. She called out the Imperious curse.

"Now, be a good little Dark Lord. Walk up to every one. Kill your own Death Eaters that joined you willingly, and bow before everyone else. Those Death Eaters that joined out of fear of you can do as they will, so can many others that have suffered because of you. Not that many will of course, but to give them the opportunity to do as they will."

She watched as he fought against her will, the entire time doing as she had demanded of him. Many Death Eaters put a torture curse on him, while a few had died at his wand. None of the residents at Hogwarts touched him, but as he made his way to her, he bowed with a disgusted look on his face.

"Oh yes, Lord Voldemort. You have been tortured, and controlled by a mudblood you more had wanted to kill. You are no stronger than we are. No powerful than those of muggle decent. You are a halfbreed yourself, purebloods are no stronger than the rest of us. I have just proven this to you. But now that my point has been made," Hermione lifted her wand at him again. "AVADA KEDAVRA!" she cried, and watched as the Dark Lord slumped to the ground, dead.

She heard the remaining Death Eaters cheer at their freedom, while those who knew her stared and gawked at the power, and hatred, and vengeance she had shown. She sneered at the man before her before casting a charm to burn his flesh and get rid of the evidence of his ever existing. She felt strong arms come around her waist from behind her as she watched the man burn.

"You scared me, witch. I didn't think you had that in you," a silky voice said from behind her. She turned and saw Severus Snape staring down at her. Her gaze softened at his, and looked around to all those whom she loved, watching her. They didn't know whether to move to her, or to stay where they were and quietly celebrate their freedom. Something that scared her the most about all that happened, was that she felt no remorse for torturing him, for allowing others to torture him. She had changed. She wasn't the good witch she had often thought she was. She looked to Hagrid who still held Harry's limp form in his hands, tears streaming his face freely. She looked at Molly who held Ginny away from her. She didn't feel shame, she was almost happy she had gotten the chance to force upon him the torment he had put many through over the years. She pulled herself out of Severus's arms, and turned to walk through the gates of Hogwarts. Planning on apparating away from there, never to return.

The regret that she had, was that she had no regrets about what she had done. She regretted not feeling remorse, not feeling shame over her actions, and uncaring slaughter. She didn't free the world from Lord Voldemort. She created a monster out of herself. She passed the gates and left with a crack.

Severus just watched her go.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

No one heard from, or of Hermione Granger for years. The bushy haired girl had disappeared from the country, saying nothing to no one. She didn't graduate from Hogwarts, but she studied on her own. Creating spells, learning new ones. She changed everything about her, including her name. Her hair was always a different color, it went from pale blond, to raven wing black at times. She cut and straightened her hair too, as well as hiding her freckles. Anyone that would run across her would never suspect that Riley Potter was actually Hermione Granger. She used his last name, out of her sisterly love for him. It was a common name where she had found herself after she had apparated out of Hogwarts after the final chapter of the war. She knew no wizards or witches here, so her hiding included her magic too. She only used it on occasions where it was necessary, and never around anyone else.

"Rye! Hey Riley! Wait up!" Hermione turned around as a laughing redhead ran up to her, dragging a brown haired boy behind her.

"Micah, Ian, what's-" Micah threw her arms around Hermione, and laughed. Hermione felt her annoyance at the young girl grow. The reason she left so often. She could find no one that was up to her standard in maturity. She found a few war heroes from America, but a lot of them were more scarred than she had been, and many of them wanted nothing more than a relationship while she only wanted friendship. She missed Harry. She even missed Ron and Ginny and the other Weasleys. But most of all, she missed Severus and her home at Hogwarts. In all the three years that she had been gone from the school, none of them had found her. She knew of the attempts from everyone, but she never felt Severus prodding her mind. He never searched for her. Giving her a hint that what he had said in the Shrieking Shack had been a lie.

"Oh my god, Rye! Ian is such a mega failure in sports. It's hilarious!" Micah giggled, uncontrollably. Ian blushed a brighter red. Hermione rolled her eyes. She wanted so much to hex the young girl, wanting to silence her. But she held her magic in check. She planned on apparating back to London the very next day. Spend some time in the Leaky Cauldron before seeking out a place for herself to stay. She gave up on finding companionship with the muggles. They just didn't appeal to her anymore. "Rye! Are you even listening, hellooooo! Riley! Oh my gosh, Rye wake up." Hermione glared at her.

"Micah, go the hell away," she growled.

"Jeesh, girl, when was the last time you got laid? Chill out." Micah turned to leave. Hermione narrowed her eyes, focusing on the spot in front of the younger girl, she sent a silent aguamenti spell at her feet, causing the girl to slip and fall. "Ow! Oh my god! Ow ow ow ow ow! IAN! Help me up damnit! Rye?!" Hermione walked away and apparated after rounding a corner into a deserted alleyway. She was standing in front of the Leaky Cauldron. She ran through memories of her and her friends sitting in this same pub so many years ago.

'Get a move on, Granger. This was your world, so what if it's changed.' She stepped inside the smoky pub. Everyone seemed happier, the bartender wasn't the same man she knew, but he was nice. She walked up to him carefully, masking her face into a mask of indifference. She wanted no one to recognize her. She was starting over. Leaving Hermione Granger behind her.

"How can I help ya Miss?" the tender asked her.

"I need accommodations for the night, if not a bit longer than that. I have been recently kicked out of my own place and need somewhere to recuperate." She mentally cursed herself at babbling. The bartender smiled at her. He told her the cost, she paid, he gave her the key.

Hermione went upstairs to the room she would be staying in. She unpacked a little, but didn't stay for long. She found herself apparating to Hogwarts, without realizing it.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Severus knew she was nearby. He could feel her presence. It shocked him, but he decided to continue his class before finding her. But he found that he could not concentrate with feeling everything that she felt. When he had the class brewing, he slipped into her mind quite easily.

She was walking the grounds, but it wasn't her. Hermione's hair was cut to just above her shoulders, it was straight and it was black. Her freckles had dissappeared too. Had it really been that long ago that he had seen her? She changed a lot. Not only her hair or face, her body had changed too. She was thinner, she still looked good, but she was thin. She was still as curvy, still as beautiful as he remembered. But seeing her hair had disappointed him greatly. He didn't think he'd miss that tangle of curls so much. Severus missed the conversations they would have without the knowledge of anyone else but them.

'Get out of my head.' He heard her say. The words swirled around in his head before he realized she had been talking to him.

'You expect me to not peek in at you when I can feel you close by after three long and tormentingly boring years of not having your smart alickness taunting me? You really need to think more straight.' She smirked at him and pushed him out of her mind, throwing up walls so strong, he couldn't even crack the outer layer. He cursed out loud, causing many students to look up from their potions. Severus stood and walked around to check on every potion before telling them to bottle it up. After that, he kicked them out of the classroom, posting their homework on his door before leaving to find her.

He found her roaming near the Forbidden Forest. Talking and laughing with Hagrid. Severus hadn't seen Hagrid laugh in a long time. He stepped up beside them.

"Hermione, why in the hell did you throw me out of your head?"

She smiled sweetly. "I don't know who you are talking about, but I'm not Hermione," she said, a challenge in her eyes as she stared him down.

"If you're not her, then who are you and why are you here? Surely you are not a student, I would remember if you were."

"No, I am not a student, but I have heard of the history of this place and decided it was a great place to take a look. I found this kind man and decided that I wanted to learn more about this place." She smiled again, though the hint of the challenge still obvious in her eyes. "My name is Riley Potter. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Professor Snape, sir, she swears to me she doesn't know 'Arry, has ne'er met 'im in 'er life. But the last name, I don't know..."

"Mr. Hagrid, it is a very common last name where I am from. I don't know who this Harry Potter fellow is, but if he has you asking about him, I'm sure he's a wonderful man. I would love to meet him one day," she said sweetly. Severus narrowed his eyes at her, and Hagrid had a look of pain shoot across his face before he covered it with a smile.

"You would 'ave loved 'im. The rest of us did. 'E was a good fellow."

"Was?" Hermione asked again, feigning curiosity at what Hagrid had been implying. But Severus could see the pain shooting across her eyes as she masked her face. Her walls never faltered.

"'Arry died three years ago. Tragic...But 'E saved our lives. 'Arry was a great man, 'e never even got the chance to turn 18, 'e was still only a boy by age. But at 'eart 'e was a man. We all respected 'im." Hermione couldn't hold everything back, her walls fell and she collapsed to her knees as her glamour charm fell and her freckles and light brown hair appeared. Her hair was still short and straight, but at least it was back to it's natural color. She cried, and cried, and cried. She couldn't hold back the pain that she had been fighting for years anymore. She shouldn't have come back. She kept telling herself over and over while both men knelt down beside her, Hagrid confused, Severus in understanding.

"Ms. Potter? Was he a relative of yours?" Hagrid asked, unsure.

"Hargid, my name-my name isn't RIley." She looked at him. "I am Hermione." Hagrid gasped, Severus only pulled her tighter into him and held her while she cried. He lifted her gently into his arms and turned toward the school with her in his arms.

"Wha' are you gonna do with 'er?" Hagrid asked, defensive.

"Don't worry, Hagrid. She will be safe. I promise you that. I'm taking her to the Headmistress though." He turned to go, when he felt a large hand on his shoulder.

"I'm going with you."

"If you must." Severus sighed, but internally smiled at the man's protectiveness of the witch. She had been through much. And no one had been able to find her for years. But here she was, in his arms as he carried her to Minerva.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Minerva heard the door open, without even the slightest knock. She nearly growled to herself, preparing her lecture on privacy and manners when she saw Severus carrying a young woman, a crying young woman in his arms, Hagrid following right behind, looking a bit uncomfortable. He at least knocked before coming in after Severus.

"Severus, what is the meaning of this. You should have taken her to Poppy!" she went to floo the infirmary when Severus stopped her with his words.

"It's Hermione, and it isn't serious. She's not physically hurt, only emotionally." Severus handed the crying girl to Hagrid as he transfigured a chair off to the side into a small sofa. Hagrid went and laid her down on it, but stayed close, with his hand still on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. Minerva walked over to her and knelt down to stare into the girls eyes as the tears streamed down her own face.

"Is it ok to tell the Weasley's that you are here Ms. Granger?" Hermione shook her head. She looked at Severus, pleadingly.

"She doesn't want anyone to know she's here. She didn't want me to take her to you, she wanted to disapparate, but I wouldn't let her." She glared at him. "But, I think it would be ok to tell them, but not to let them come to her until she is ready to face it all again." He smirked at her while her tears slowly dried with her mild irritation. 'Sorry, love,' he thought to her.

'No your not,' she thought back.

'Your right, but at least I'm giving you time.' Hermione snorted. Minerva looked from the potions master to the broken girl and rolled her eyes. She felt she had finally figured out where Hermione came into everything, besides of course, being Harry's best friend. It wasn't fair that the young girl had to go through so much. It wasn't even fair that the young boy had to die. But she couldn't argue with Albus's decision because of the outcome it had brought. He had caused their freedom by his careful planning and all his sacrifices. She knew that if he could have saved Harry, he would have.

"Why don't you wish for people to know you are here, Hermione? The Weasley's have always been a family to you."

"Professor, you would never understand." Hermione thought of the time she had fought and killed all those Death Eaters so long ago, watched as she tortured and killed their master. Severus instantly understood what was going through the young witches mind.

"She's afraid of what people will think of her. What she did to Voldemort in the end, she regrets not feeling any remorse over what she did." He ignored her growl of anger at him. "She thinks that people will be afraid of her, and even hate her for it." Hermione had enough.

Hermione jumped off the couch, and with a silent spell, had Severus pinned against a wall with her wand at his throat. He saw the anger in her eyes, saw the raw power mixed with bitter hatred. He kept calm though the others in the room were frozen in place with their shock and terror at the girl's speed and force.

"I can speak for myself. And when I don't want to say something, I don't have to have a reason, and I don't need to have you making any assumptions either." She pulled her wand away from his throat and turned and left the room.

No one moved as she left, they just stared after her, unsure of what to do about the angry girl. Severus was the first to move, he went after her. By the time he had reached the gate, he heard a crack and she wasn't anywhere to be found again.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Hermione disapparated right into her room at the Leaky Cauldron, she warded and silenced her door immediately. She knew she couldn't stay here for long, but she couldn't change her apperance either until she checked out. Hermione's thoughts of staying in Hogsmeade for a little while had been shattered. She couldn't go back. She couldn't be anywhere near him, any of them. She let them see how broken she was, let him see what she regretted and what she didn't. She put up walls around her mind so no one would see anything. Her Occlumency was better than Severus's Legillimency. Severus couldn't get any thoughts from Hermione unless she allowed him to.

Hermione knew he was trying to find her. She could feel him in her mind, could feel him as he pushed on her walls. She could even feel the force at which her walls had been hit. They never faltered. Hermione would never tell him of her location. But she also knew that he wouldn't be out of her mind until she faltered and gave something away. Something she hoped wouldn't happen. Hermione hated feeling like she was a monster, and felt it now necessary to remain on her own. After three days, she left the Leaky Cauldron and moved to a small one bedroom house in Godric's Hollow. She paid visit to James and Lily Potter's grave quite often. She left lilies by their grave every Friday afternoon.

That's where Ron found her. Harry's grave was near Lily and James', but he always overlooked theirs when he came, briefly noticing flowers on both theirs and Harry's graves.

Ron was standing in front of Harry's grave when out of the corner of his eye, he saw a blond haired woman walk right up to him. He watched her lay lilies against the headstone and walk on to the other Potters. She laid white lilies there too. She stood there glancing at Harry's grave and Lily and James' like she had known them forever. He knew she hadn't known Harry, him and Hermione knew every witch Harry had ever known.

Hermione looked up to see Ron watching her, she met his eyes and heard him gasp.

Her eyes, they were her eyes. They were different, but they were Hermione's eyes. Ron stepped closer to her, waiting for her to move either away from him or near him. She stayed firmly planted to the spot she had stopped before she noticed him. Hermione cringed when Ron finally reached her and threw his arms around her in a tight hug. She didn't even realize that he had apparated her to the Burrow.

Hermione's eyes went wide when they arrived, with a crack, on the front step of the Weasley home. She grabbed her wand, trying to disapparate, but Ron grabbed it from her and glared.

"Hermione Granger, you have been hiding from us for three years, you aren't leaving." She sighed and took down the glamor on her hair and face. She hadn't bothered with straightening her hair today, but it was still short, and it's curly state made it even shorter. "We know you took Harry's death hard, we all did. And we all know what you did, and we know how you feel about it. You can't keep hiding from those that love you. Come inside, you look thin and pale, and honestly, 'Mione, you look like hell." He grabbed her hand, and she didn't fight him as he dragged her inside. But she did lower her head and stared at the ground as he called for all the Weasleys by name, surprising her when he called out for Severus.

At Severus's name she tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her. Severus was the first one to enter the room, followed by Molly and Arthur. Molly ran to her, pulling her into a tight hug, tears threatening both women.

Molly sniffed. "You haven't been taking care of yourself dear. Have you even been eating?" Hermione giggled, sniffing as well while wiping the tears from her eyes as Arthur pulled her into a hug as well. Severus watched as each Weasley in turn held her tight, itching to hold her himself, but knew that he wasn't welcome to. Her walls were faltering here and there, but he didn't know that Ron still had her wand.

Ginny took the longest in letting go of the girl. Both women cried harder when in each other's arms. They had been like sisters, had been very close, it had killed Ginny to lose her brother, Harry, and Hermione in the same day.

"You came back." Ginny pulled back a little and sniffed. Hermione just nodded, unable to speak. George cleared his throat as he pulled Ginny aside gently, taking Hermione in his arms and holding her tightly. Percy stood behind her and laid his hand on her shoulder, giving her a kind brotherly look. Severus watched as all the Weasley's held her in turn, each crying. Finally he had enough after all of them had a second turn in holding her. He peeled Molly off of her again and pulled her into his arms himself, running his hands through her hair.

"Don't you dare do that to any of us again," he demanded, surprising everyone in the room, excluding Ron and Hermione. He had told Ron of everything he had shared with the girl, the only thing surprising him was his public display of affection.

Hermione sniffed. "I'm not here to stay," she whispered, but all heard her. "I can't stay. I'm not the same as I was, I can't stay." She repeated. Severus just held her while she cried, sifting his fingers through her tangled curls gently. He could see how broken up she was by what few glimpses he had seen from when her walls falter. He had tried to give her as much time on her own as he could. But he knew there was a reason she came back to Hogwarts that day, whether she realized it or not.

"No Hermione. You are not going to keep hiding. Ron, where did you find her? And how did you get her to come with you?" Ron blushed.

"I didn't exactly give her the option to walk away. I found her at Godric's Hollow. She laid flowers on Harry's grave as well as Lily and James'... When I saw her, she had blond hair, but I could tell it was her by the look she gave me. I walked over to her, hugged her, and before she could pull away, I disapparated. She tried to leave, but I took her wand. I told her that she couldn't keep running, and that she needed to see us. Didn't let her leave." Severus nodded his thanks at the younger Weasley boy. He looked down and saw how tired she was.

"Is there anywhere we can put her so she can sleep? I'll keep her wand so she doesn't make a break for it." She glared at him, he just looked down at her. His eyes were blank of all emotion. She tried to figure out what he was thinking but all she got from him was him telling her that she was staying there whether he had to tie her down or not. 'You can't keep running away from all of us. We all care.'

"She's not going to bed until she's eaten something. Look how thin she is Severus!" Severus looked at Molly before glancing at Hermione, but his glance turned into a horrified study of how pale and thin she had gotten. It had only been a month since she was in his arms at Hogwarts... How long has she been like this?

Molly bustled into the kitchen followed by Severus and the Weasley's, with Hermione in tow. Molly hurried around, cooking and preparing a meal for everyone, more importantly, she prepared enough to fill Hermione.

"I'm not going to stay here and sleep," Hermione whispered, not trusting her own voice.

"Of course you are, dear. We just got you back, you aren't leaving until you are in better shape." Molly sat a plate down in front of her, a stern look on her face giving Hermione warning that there was no talking back.

"Hermione, you need to stay here. Molly can help you, we all can help you. We can't help you forget, or make yourself feel any better. But we can help you want to. We can support you and be here for you. And once you've allowed yourself to heal, you can come back and finish school," Severus said, with his hand laid gently on her back. She looked around at him and the other Weasley's.

"I have a home...a house of my own in Godric's Hollow. And it's too late for me to go back to Hogwarts. Besides, I can't go back. I can't stay here, I have to stay in Godric's Hollow. It's where I belong now. Where I can't hurt anyone...where I don't have to worry about what I'm going to do. It's safer for me there, it's safer for everyone I know." No one understood what she was trying to imply. She could see that they didn't understand. She could feel Severus rummaging through her mind, she let him through her walls. She heard him gasp. She stood to leave.

Severus grabbed at her hand, but she pulled away. She glared at them all, no control over what her magic would do, a spot on the table caught on fire as if to prove that she was now dangerous. While the Weasley's were distracted she made a run for it. Before Severus could reach her, she disapparated.

She appeared with a crack back in her home at Godric's Hollow. She walked outside, laying a spell thick on her home there. To everyone in the area, it looked as if her house was burning, but truth about it is, Hermione cast an disillusion on her home, hiding it from all eyes but her own. But knowing that she couldn't just make her house disappear without some suspicion, she created an illusion of her house burning down. She hoped they would think she died.

It was just like number 12 Grimauld Place. No one could see it unless given permission, and it was passworded. No one could enter without her knowledge.

She changed her appearance again, her glamor charm changing the color of her hair, and this time her eyes too.

To everyone in the area, Ms. Riley Potter died. No one had even heard from Hermione Granger either. But a new young witch moved to the area. She spent a lot of her time hiding in her hidden home, spending an hour every evening with the Potters. She still left lilies.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Ms. Granger?" a young child asked from behind Hermione, finally using her last name again.

"Yes Adrian?"

"Mama said that you live in an invisible home...is that true Ms. Granger?" Adrian Pickett stared up into the young woman's blue eyes with a curious grin. Hermione looked down at him carefully, and smiled.

"Why, yes I do. Would you like to see it?" she asked him, kneeling in front of him. She could see his eyes brighten and his grin spread wide. His bright smile making her heart clench with emotion. She didn't want anything to ever happen to him.

"Hold on!" She watched him as he ran off excitedly to go tell his mother where he was. Hermione waited where she was, but something dark fell over Godric's Hollow. She looked around and saw people running and screaming out of their homes. Fear coursing through her, she looked up. The Dark Mark was in the clouds. Hermione saw the snake curling through the skull's mouth as it turned the sky a sickening shade of green.

"Shit." Hermion took off at a run, trying to find anyone who needed her help. She saw the young boy, Adrian's house on fire. Running toward it, she whipped out her wand and cried out a spell that would protect him and his parents. She raced into the house, coughing and cursing at the fire and smoke. Death Eaters surrounded her,

"We are looking for the mudblood. Where is she?"

"I don't know what you are talking about, there is no one like that here! Now leave!" Hermione shouted.

"Ms. Granger!" She heard the boy shout, his parents lay around him. But they weren't breathing.

"Adrian!" Hermione ran toward him, but one of the Death Eaters grabbed her around the waist, holding her back. He held a knife to her throat as she struggled to get free to the little boy. He screamed. Hermione held her wand and cried out "Sectumsempra!" The Death Eater lost his hold on her, losing his arm as well. She ran toward the boy, and disapparated with him. Destination: anywhere safe.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The two of them arrived at the Burrow with a crack. She fell to her knees, pulling the young boy into her arms and holding him tight while they both cried. Severus came running out of the house and landed next to the two. He could feel her fear before she arrived. Severus had apparated to the Burrow, knowing it was her safe place. Knowing that it would be where she would go. The young boy surprised him, but he pulled Hermione to her feet. Hermione's glamor charm disappeared. He could see her curls in their light brown, her amber eyes staring up at him pleading.

Severus pulled her to her feet, picking up the small boy. He asked no questions as he brought them inside. Molly ran to Hermione immediately seeing the fear in her eyes.

"Oh my goodness! We were so worried when Severus came and told us what you were feeling, are you ok?"

"Molly, Molly, I'm fine. Take care of Adrian." Molly gave her a curious look before Severus handed the small, still crying, boy to Molly. She practically melted at the sight of one so young and so terrified. Molly took him into the kitchen to sooth and feed the boy. Severus pulled Hermione off to the side.

"Are you sure your ok?" he asked her.

"Besides the fact that my neck finally stopped bleeding? Yeah." She tried to give him a smile, it didn't work. "I'm terrified. And the boy has no where to go. They killed his parents..." Severus gave her a curious look. Hermione sighed. "Death Eaters. There are more of them. They've been biding their time, gathering more followers. They are looking for me. I know this because they were asking for a mudblood. The mudblood was a woman. They want me for killing their master or whatever." Severus listened to her, his eyes wide. "They came to Godric's Hollow on some kind of spree. They tore through houses and killed Adrian's parents. I don't know who else lost their lives. I went after Adrian and they came up from behind me and held a knife to my throat asking where the mudblood was. Oh, by the way, thanks for the spell, I ended up taking a Death Eater's arm before I got to Adrian and disapparated from there. I wanted to be somewhere safe and I just ended up here."

"You took a Death Eaters arm...?" Ron came up from behind Hermione, she spun around, wand at the ready. Seeing Ron, she lowered her wand, and her eyes. Severus filled Ron in on what happened.

"They're back? And they are looking for you? Your not safe anywhere but Hogwarts Hermione. I hate to say it, but you've gotta go back. Really soon."

"I'm not leaving the boy." The determined set of her jaw made both men smirk, remembering how she used to be when she gave anyone that look.

"What is anyone going to do with him? I know Mum would take him, but we haven't gotten the room anymore for him. We have Bill and Charlie's old room, but Snape has taken his stay in that room. And what would you do with him at the school?"

"Exactly why I'm not going back. He stays with me."

"I don't know Hermione, but if they are looking for you then the safest place for you is back at Hogwarts...Maybe we could talk to McGonagall about him. See what she thinks. I know you feel responsible for him, but our main priority is to get you to safety because if nothing else, we can find a place here for the boy."

"I wont leave him Ronald. I can't." Hermione lowered her eyes, staring at the ground. "I should have known that he wouldn't have risked all of his followers that day. I should have known there would be more."

"Hermione, how could you have known?" Severus asked her gently. "I didn't even know he had more. I thought they were all there that night. Some probably fled. Who knows. Maybe a bunch of kids decided it would be funny to start another terror, so that people would think the Dark Lord is still alive. You never know." Severus rested his hand on her shoulder. "Lets go inside and see what we can do about the child, and yourself."

When they entered the house, Adrian ran straight for Hermione. She lifted him up in her arms and sat down on the nearest chair, cuddling the boy in her arms.

"Ms. Granger, they're gone aren't they? Mama and Daddy are gone," the boy asked. He sniffed and Hermione could feel her heart going out to him.

"Yes love. They are. But I'll protect you. We all will, no one will touch you, you'll be safe," she soothed.

"Where am I going to go, Ms. Granger?"

"Shhh. We will take care of it ok? Sleep for now." Hermione held the boy close as his eyes fluttered closed. Everyone in the room watched the interaction between child and woman.

"What are we going to do with him?" Molly asked. "He can stay here if he needs to, but he seems attached to you, we can't separate him from you unless it's absolutely necessary. He's had his mother and father taken from him, we can't very well take the one person he does have. The one person he seems to trust." Hermione nodded.

"I should have gone with him when he went to talk to his mother. He wanted to see my house because it was rumored that it was invisible, when really, I had it hidden just like Grimauld Place. He wanted to see, and I told him he could, so he left to go talk to his mother and ask. I waited by Harry's grave where he had found me. I saw the clouds change and felt a sickening darkness wash over the neighborhood and ran after him. Everyone was running and screaming being chased by masked men. I got to his home and was taken and had a knife put to my throat. I shot a spell at him that caused him to lose his arm and I disapparated Adrian out of there and this is where I ended up. Apparently I feel safer here than anywhere else."

"Speaking of Grimauld Place!" Ginny's eyes brightened. "How about we hide them there? Hermione's been taking care of herself for a while, and she'll have all of us to help her take care of Adrian. We can hook up the floo network to make her able to floo over here. From here she can floo anywhere else."

"Why can't I floo just anywhere from Girmauld, if I stay there?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If you can floo anywhere, that means anyone can floo there. We want to keep you hidden and protected. That way, you both are safe. Of course, we would talk to the headmistress at Hogwarts to see if we can hook her floo up to yours at Grimauld Place. It's perfect!"

"Besides the fact that we have no idea who the house went to after Harry. He inherited the place. He's gone, has been for three years, who has the place now?" Severus asked.

"The house belongs to the Order of the Phoenix. Harry made it that way when Dumbledore was still alive. The Order still needed a place to go and Harry handed it over to the Order itself. If Lupin had survived, it would have gone to Lupin next...but he didn't." Molly replied. She clearly loved the idea. "And get this Hermione, we will help you with anything you need. You can floo over here so that you can eat whenever you don't wish to stay at home. We would love to have you. You can basically just floo on over without warning. We don't mind dear. But there are a few requirements in order for us to allow you to use the house." Molly got a devious glint to her eyes.

"And what would that be Molly?" Hermione asked, wary.

"You bring Adrian over and spend Christmas with us. Every year. And we want you to stay the weekends as well. I want to be able to take care of you dear. We all want to. You've been so hard on yourself for the past three years. Running out of our lives like that, hiding from the world. You've been running away from it all. Rather than running, you need to face it, and let it heal you. And hopefully," She smiled, resting her hand on Adrian's head gently. "This young boy will help you to heal. There's nothing better than a child to make one feel better about the world. They are so young, and so innocent. They're views on the world are touching. Let him heal you, dear." Hermione wanted to cry as she looked down at the sleeping boy in her lap. She stroked his soft brown hair.

"He looks like him doesn't he?" Ginny asked, sitting down beside Molly and Hermione. She leaned over, kissing the top of the boys head. Hermione nodded. "We all miss him Hermione. We all loved him. I loved him. We all wish things could have been different. But it turned out the way it did because it had to. And who knows, Adrian could turn out exactly like him." Ginny had a hopeful smile as she watched the sleeping boy.

Severus cleared his throat and stood, holding his hand out to Hermione. Hermione looked up at him questioningly.

"Your done eating, you need to sleep now. Both of you do. Take Adrian and go to bed." Hermione started to protest, but Severus wouldn't hear it. "If I have to pick the two of you up and lay you down in any random bed to get you to sleep, I will."

Hermione smiled. A real smile. Severus wanted to smile with her, knowing she hadn't smiled in years. But he fought himself, he stayed stern.

"Then if you so insist, take him while I stand, and show me exactly where you have decided to stuff me and my child." He saw the devious glint in her eyes, and couldn't hold back any longer. He smiled. The Weasley's gasped at seeing him truly smile while taking the boy. He led her upstairs to where he had been staying, every weekend.

"So tell me, why exactly are you staying with the Weasleys? Doesn't it annoy you to have so many Gryffindors in the same home with you?" Hermione asked, taking Adrian from his arms, laying him down on the bed in the room while she sat down beside him. She patted the spot on the bed, Severus sat down next to her.

"Having this many Gryffindors isn't as annoying as a whole class room of them, trust me. But I discovered something on the last day of the war. Slytherins and Gryffindors aren't really that much different. they are both witty and both brave and courageous. It just depends on the person, and on how they use it. You are a clever girl, and you use what you have to help the people you love. While many Slytherins, they use what they have to save their own skins."

"Where does that leave you?"

"I'm neither. I'm still Slytherin, but look at all I've done to help Dumbledore and Harry. In a way, it was Gryffindor, but it was selfish of me to. I was doing it to protect Lily's son, so that there was still a bit of Lily in the world. But Dumbledore failed to mention the perk to the plan. I was angry about having protected the boy just to have him die at the right time. I protected you three for my own selfish reasons, and that makes me a Slytherin. How I used what gifts of mind I have."

"It isn't that you are selfish. You did all you could, whether it be for Lily or for us, or for yourself even. But with you saying it was for Lily, it wasn't just for you, you weren't being selfish about it. You still fought for the woman you loved. When I tortured Voldemort...I did it for myself. For all the grief he had put me through from the very beginning. Oh yes, I killed him for Harry, and I let everyone have their turn with him. But the humiliation and the torture was all for me. I was tired of him thinking that I, as a mudblood, or muggleborn, was weaker than he was. I am just as powerful as he is." Hermione shuddered at remembering what she had done and felt. "I'm ashamed of it all. Not because I did it, but because of the satisfaction I got from humiliating him. I never should have been a Gryffindor. I'm Slytherin through and through."

"You may be Slytherin, yes, I can see that in you, but the Gryffindor outweighs all the Slytherin you have in you. And if I could have done what you did, I would have. Harry may not have, he's too merciful. Ron is to squeamish too...But I'm sure that you aren't the only one you know of that would have done something. If Ginny was in your place, she would have too. I only know this because I've seen that in her. And sometimes that can come out in everyone. Even Harry's done it. He attempted to torture Bellatrix in your fifth year in the Department of Mysteries. If I remember right." Hermione nodded, Severus took her shoulders and laid her down gently, next to Adrian. "Now sleep. We will figure everything out when you wake up." And with that, he left.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Hermione slept. But her sleep was restless. Her nightmares waking her up screaming after only five hours. She looked beside her, Adrian wasn't there. She threw the covers off of her and ran out the door.

"Where is he?!" Severus looked over at her, seeing the panic in her eyes, he stood and walked over to her.

"He's fine. He's with Ron and Ginny." Severus laid his hand on her shoulder and turned her back to the room she just ran out of. He lead her inside and sat her down on the bed in there, sitting beside her. "Now do you wish to explain why you were just screaming bloody murder in here?"

Severus watched as Hermione turned away from him, biting her lip. She shook her head, he fought an agitated growl.

"Severus, all you need to know is that I'm used to the nightmares. I've had them repeatedly for the past three years. It's nothing new, trust me." She looked up and smiled at him. But her smile didn't reach her eyes. Severus could still see the terror, the horror in her eyes. 'You seem to be more broken then the rest of us,' he sent to her. She averted her eyes. "I've been running a long time. I know it's time for me to stop running, I'm just too afraid too. I've been a different person for years. Half the time, I can't even control my own magic. I can, but sometimes it slips out of my grasp, like the fire on the dinning room table a week ago. That wasn't intentional, though it did come in handy." She giggled humorlessly.

Severus laid her down gently, before standing up. "You need sleep. You still look exhausted, and if I have to give you a sleeping draught I will." He went to open the door.

"Don't leave," Hermione whispered, without realizing it. He looked back at her and saw a deep red blush on her face. He smiled as he walked toward her. Severus laid down beside her, wrapping a blanket around her small form, and smiled. Hermione blushed a deeper red as she curled up closer to him, and closed her eyes.

Severus sifted his fingers through her hair gently while she slept. Her breathing was even, and she didn't stir. He knew she had nightmares. The same nightmares woke him up from his own dreams. He knew what they were, her walls always came down when she was asleep. He had made it a habit to listen to her while she slept. Severus never looked for personal information, he just wanted to see her dreams. Wanted to watch her while she slept, so he knew when he was needed, if ever.

Severus never went after her. Never looked for her, he knew she needed time. He would let her come to him, when she was ready. She just never knew when she was. The distance bothered him. He wanted her safe by his side so he knew when she needed him. More importantly, he needed her nearby. Hermione always saw the best in people. Said that he wasn't selfish. But he knew otherwise. He knew how selfish he was. Yes, Severus wanted her to heal. But he wanted her to stop running away from him, he needed her. The three years without her had been torture.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

A small knock came at the door half an hour after Hermione finally fell asleep. Severus shifted away from her, making sure she didn't wake up, before answering the door. Little Adrian looked up into the older man's eyes.

"Is Ms. Granger awake? Ms. Weasley wanted me to ask..." he asked shyly.

Severus took the young boy's hand and walked him over to the bed where Hermione lay. He sat down and pulled Adrian into his lap while they both watched her sleep.

"No, she isn't. She doesn't get a lot of sleep, Adrian. She has nightmares, terrible, and frightful nightmares of a time that you hopefully never have to see. You are too young to even know about it yet."

The boy shifted to look up at Severus, his eyes knowing. "Those men that killed my Mummy...were they the same ones that made Ms. Granger sad?" He asked. Severus smiled at the boy.

"Yes." Severus looked at Hermione's sleeping form. "Yes, they are the ones that cause her nightmares as well. You see, they took someone away from her, just like they took someone away from you too. They took her best friend. They took many of her friends. They took many of mine too." The boy squirmed and Severus let go and watched as Adrian crawled across the bed to where Hermione's head lay. Adrian kissed her forehead and curled up next to her. "What are you doing, Adrian?"

"When I was scared, or sad, Mummy would come to my room and kiss me goodnight, and she would lay beside me till I fell asleep. It always made me less scared or sad." Severus smiled at the boy's obvious love for Hermione, and his innocence. He understood why Hermione wanted to protect him so badly. Severus saw Harry in him. But not only that, Hermione was there too. Severus laid down on the other side of Hermione and rested his hand on her waist.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Hours later, Hermione woke with both of her gentlemen laying on either side of her. She couldn't help but smile at both of the sleeping men. She kissed the boy's head lightly, and shifted herself out of Severus's hold, jarring him awake slightly. He fell asleep again, as she laid her hand on his head, sifting her fingers through his soft hair. She left the room, leaving the door cracked open so as not to wake them.

Hermione made her way down the stairs, passing a Weasley here and there. They always stopped to hug her and make sure she's alright. Hermione walked out side and looked around at the sky, roaming the grounds for an hour before she noticed that the sun had gone down. She didn't even notice that it was a tad chilly.

Severus watched her through the window. Molly was feeding Adrian, but Severus knew that the young boy kept coming up behind him to watch her too.

Hermione was mentally cursing at herself. She saw the care that Severus had for her, but she hid from him so many years. She's been hiding from everything, and she knew it was time to stop.

"Dammit!" She yelled to the world. She whipped out her wand and sent curses and jinxes at invisible enemies. Sending a tree branch flying here and there. The Weasley's watched as she destroyed things that she summoned, over and over. Saw the rage in every flick of her wrist, and swish of her wand. Adrian pulled away to try to go outside to her, but Severus held him back.

"What is she doing Mr. Snape?" He asked, scared.

"She's trying to get rid of her anger."

The child just watched her for a while.

"Can I use magic?" he asked curiously. "Can I do what she does? Mommy and daddy didn't have magic, but can I do magic?"

"We don't know yet, Child. Come away from the window and eat." Molly took the boy and ushered him to the table. Adrian grinned at her deviously. Severus almost laughed. Molly smiled at the boy, seeing so much of Harry in him.

Severus stepped outside, closing the door behind him. He was shocked to hear the curses she was throwing at everything and nothing in particular. Dark magic, spells that he himself had created as well. Even some dead spells that she shouldn't even know because they have been gone and forgotten for so long. He smiled inwardly at the smart witch in front of him shooting spells off at a death pace. He came up behind her, laying his hand on her shoulder gently, tugging her into his arms. She lowered her wand, and her head. He could feel the tears as they fell on his hand around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry..." she mumbled under her breath. He could barely hear her, but he held her closer anyway. He kissed the top of her head gently.

"It isn't your fault. I just want you to feel better, and stop hurting yourself over something you couldn't help." He turned her to face him. "No one judges what you did. No one. I've gone through every mind in this house, I have heard everyone who loves you ask where you were. I watched as Ronald Weasely sent out owl after owl to find you. Even when he got the job at the Ministry, he kept searching. No one stopped until last year."

Severus felt her trembling and heard her crying still. He looked down at her and saw her turn her head away from him. He tilted her face up at him and smiled, gently at her. Hermione leaned her head into his chest and let him hold her.

The Weasley's watched the interaction between student and teacher.

"He loves her you know," Ron stated. "He always has. Well, since the Yule Ball that is." He wanted to laugh, but he just watched with the rest of his family as Severus pulled her close and held her while she cried. Molly came downstairs after tucking the young boy into bed. Telling him stories about witches and wizards.

"It's a little obvious that he loves her now," Ginny said, staring at her brother. "It's just a surprise on how long he's loved her. I think she may have feelings for him too...She's just not ready to let anyone in her life. Adrian is one thing. Severus is another."

"She'll find out soon enough." Their mother shooed them away from the window, taking a final glance herself. "Now off to bed. All of you." She watched each one of her children smile, and head of to their respected bedrooms.

"Mum, is Hermione staying in Snapes room, or mine?" Ginny asked.

"That's up to Hermione and Severus." Molly put her hand on Ginny's back and led her to the stairs, on her way to bed herself.

Hermione looked up at Severus, surprised at the care he had been showing her. She knew he was a kind man, she knew he hated mistreating all of his students. It was all a precaution to save their lives, to save his own life. But she had never seen Severus act with such obvious care around any other human. He was always nicer to her. Hermione knew he loved her. He had told her so on the night where it all ended. She knew that she loved him too. But was she ready for that, to let him into her life like that? Hermione pushed against Severus' chest gently, looking at him pleadingly.

"I need to go check on Newman." Hermione turned around as Severus put his arms back to his sides. Severus watched as Hermione walked away, a little shaken.

"Hermione, what I said to you in the Shrieking Shack was true," he said behind her. She froze.

"I know Severus...I just don't know if I can let you into my life like that..."

"I know," he whispered as he came up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist, slowly, giving her a chance to pull away. "I never stopped thinking about you Hermione. I never tried to look for you because I knew you would come back when you were ready. In a way, I tried to keep you safe. I sent out comfort when you would have a nightmare, and I would lend you strength when there were things you just couldn't handle." Hermione turned to look at him, shock written all over her face. "I know you don't want a relationship, but I need you to not leave again. I hated not knowing where you were...It was hell to be perfectly honest, Hermione. Absolute hell."

She blinked up at him. "I won't leave without you knowing where I am...I promise. Though I can't promise that you will be allowed to come with me. I'm not as whole and carefree as I once was. I'm broken and scared...I still don't even know where my mum and dad are. It's a huge jump for me to take Adrian, but he has no where else to go. And in a way...I need him. He doesn't make me regret anything. Everyone I know, they all make me think of that day and of what I did. I had no right to do what I did."

"It will all be ok, and when you need to escape, let me know. I'll take the boy, and I'll give you time on your own. Though I warn you, I don't trust you being on your own anymore with the new Death Eaters. I will keep tabs on you. I'm not being possessive, I want to protect you because, Hermione, you saved my life, you protected me. You cried for me, you've cared enough to listen to me. Hermione, I don't like saying this to anyone, I don't like feeling vulnerable with anyone, but I need you. If I don't have you I don't even know who I am...I really do love you, and I understand if you can't feel that way for me, I treated you horribly through your school years, and then all the stuff you are going through now. I don't expect you to say anything...Just to know how much I need you." He smiled down at her.

Severus could see her eyes shining with unshed tears as he stared into her eyes, looking for a hint of any emotion. Hermione looked away. "Hermione...say something, please?" Hermione looked back up at him, and slowly, oh so slowly, rose on her toes and touched her lips to his. His eyes grew wide with shock before a wave of understanding washed over him. He closed his eyes and savored the taste of her lips on his, the feelings she sent him. They warred with each other, each one of them sending as much feeling and emotion out with one kiss as they could. Fierce need and love between the too making everything around them disappear. Severus pulled her closer as she broke the kiss and looked at him, only a little breathless. Both man and woman felt no need to say anything as they just stared into each others eyes. Hermione rested her head against his shoulder as he held her.

Severus felt her shiver slightly against him, and moved closer to him. He knelt down and placed one arm under her knees, the other around her waist as he lifted her into his arms. He carried her into the house, and sat her down next to the warm fire. He sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms again, but not before wrapping a blanket around her. Hermione snuggled up warmly against Severus, loving the feeling that he gave her.

Hermione had almost fell asleep before a small body bounded down the stairs and into her lap, hiding his face in her lap. She smiled down at him as she stroked his hair, whispering soothing words to him. He fell asleep not to long after laying down next to her. Severus watched the interaction between both people, the woman he loved, and the child that was so much like the boy he tried to protect. He watched as Hermione's eyes fluttered to a close, and drifted to sleep. He lifted her again, with the child still snuggled in her lap and he carried her upstairs to the room he occupied. He looked at the time on the clock downstairs when he left her and the boy to sleep. Midnight, Monday morning. He had to get back to Hogwarts, for school. He hated leaving her, but he had duties as a teacher, and he knew that she would be safe. He left a note for her on the kitchen table, and disapparated back to Hogwarts.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

When Hermione had woken up in the morning, Severus wasn't there with her. She looked down at the little boy who was still curled up next to her, still sleeping. He seemed to take the loss of his adopted parents well. Only Severus knew about the child, but he didn't know it was this particular child. He only knew, that she had given him up to a muggle family to protect him, and raise him as their own. She smoothed back his messy brown hair lovingly, before standing up and changing into an outfit that was left to her. She hadn't brought any of her things here from her home in Godric's Hallow, she didn't have the time to save Adrian, and get her things. She decided it was what she needed to do today. Go to Diagon Alley and get some clothes and things for herself, and for Adrian as well.

She closed the door slightly behind her as she left the room, letting the little boy sleep some more. She noticed how much the both of them had slept within the last couple of days. She smiled, he seemed to handle pain, stress, and confusion the same way she used to, and is now. She hoped that she had been slipping back to her old self, even though she know that there really was no possible way she would ever be the same. She went down to the kitchen, hoping to see Severus there, but saw a letter there instead, addressed to her in his delicate handwriting. She remembered that school was in session and that it was Monday, he had class.

Hermione picked up the parchment and unfolded it revealing more of his handwriting, nothing more than a paragraph:

_Hermione, _

_ While I wish I could have stayed, by the time you fell asleep it was midnight. Rather than waking you and the boy, which I wouldn't have done anyway, I left you this note. I am currently at Hogwarts, but I will come back to the Weasley's tonight, and hopefully say goodbye properly before coming back to Hogwarts,_

_With Love,_

_SS_

Hermione smiled. At least he left her a note, she would have understood anyway. The fact that he didn't want to wake her, or Adrian was very sweet. Also the fact that he's going to come back tonight, just for her. Hermione heard one of the Weasley's stir, and come down the stairs.

"Oh, Hermione dear! I didn't know you would wake up so early, I would have had breakfast done already!" Molly gushed.

"Oh, don't worry about it, Molly. Here, let me help you!"

"No, no. You just go make yourself comfortable, I'll handle everything." Hermione sat down at the table, reading the note again. She still didn't know exactly what was going on between her and Severus, they both knew they cared for each other, probably even loved each other, and they were going to try. But she was also scared to let him too close...like she did Harry.

"Molly, can I take Ginny with me and Adrian to Diagon Alley?" she asked.

"Of course, but why?" Molly bustled about, hardly looking at her, but Hermione knew she was paying attention.

"I didn't have time to get my things from my home, and it isn't safe for me to bring Adrian there anymore, but we both need clothes." Hermione supplied.

"About Adrian dear...You are very fond of him, I can see that, but there is something I'm concerned about...Who is he? Really?" Molly turned around and watched Hermione carefully. So carefully in fact, that Hermione knew that if she lied, Molly would know, and force the information out of her anyway. She caved, sighing before she explained.

"He's my son..." Hermione closed her eyes. Molly's eyes opened wide, and she sat down across from the younger, scarred girl. "During our fourth year...I was extremely worried about Harry...We spent a lot of time together, and I was angry with Ron because he was so jealous of Harry for getting into the Tournament. Harry and I got too close, and something happened...I kept a glamor on me until the end of the school year, even though it wasn't showing yet...well...not much. But when I went home, my mother was furious that I was stupid enough to get pregnant. When the child was born, I gave him to a family who would take care of him, and obliviated my mother and father of the child so I could still live there, I had no where else really to go. And I didn't want my parents to be ashamed of me...I kept him secret from everyone, Harry didn't even know about him, I didn't want him in danger, and I didn't want the shame from everyone that I would have gotten...Me...a young mother, only fourteen! It won't be long now, until he gets his letter from Hogwarts..."

"He's seven then?" Molly asked.

"Yes, he's seven."

"Hermione...You could have told us, you could have stayed with us." Molly stood and flicked her wand, setting the table, and placing the now cooked food in front of Hermione, and leaving plates for all the Weasleys and Adrian. She sat down and watched Hermione take a small bite.

"I guess I didn't want help...I was too ashamed of myself. I was raised better than that, not to let my first time be a random occasion, with someone that I truly didn't love. When I woke up the morning next to him, he was still asleep. I obliviated him of everything that went on that night. I almost went to Severus to obliviate me too...until I found out that I was pregnant, and then there was really nothing I could have done." Hermione ate in silence from then on out. Molly didn't question her further, seeing that she was obviously wounded by the fact that she so carelessly acted during her fourth year.

Ron had been listening silently by the door. But he came into the kitchen when he heard Adrian coming down the stairs for his breakfast. Adrian ran straight toward Hermione, and she sat him down in the seat beside her, putting a little food on his plate for him. Molly quickly recovered her shock, and concern and acted as if nothing had been said between them and continued with her duties as all the other Weasleys came down the stairs for their breakfast. Arthur saw through everything though, he knew that there had to be something bothering her. He pulled her into the other room, Hermione bowed her head for a moment, regaining her composure before she looked at Ginny.

"Hey, Gin, would you like to go to Diagon Alley with me? Adrian and I need a few things, since all of our things have been left in Godric's Hallow."

"Yeah! I'm so glad you asked Hermione." Ginny smiled, while Arthur came into the room.

"Hermione," he said. "Can I speak with you a moment?" Hermione stood, hanging her head as she walked into the other room.

When Hermione entered the room Arthur and Molly had called her into, Arthur and Molly were sitting down, side by side. Arthur motioned for her to sit across from them.

"I now understand the importance of that child, and why you won't leave him. While you are out shopping in Diagon Alley, Molly and the others will be cleaning up Grimauld place for you. You will take both Ron, and Ginny with you. If it weren't for the fact that it was a weekday, I would ask you to take Severus with you. But, you will come back. Promise?"

"Arthur I-"

"No Hermione, we promised Severus we would keep you safe at all costs, and that requires you and Adrian to come back here. If you can't promise that you will come back, you will leave your wand here. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir...Though, I don't understand what you are so worried about. Adrian is my top priority now, not my selfishness, I can't hide and keep him safe at the same time." Hermione stood. "Now, if that is all, I have to get Adrian ready to go. Thank you Arthur, Molly. Please don't' say anything to anyone yet. I want to be the first one to tell people, in time, when I am ready."

"It's understandable dear. But...May I ask? What are you going to tell the child?" Molly stood and walked over to the younger girl.

"I don't think I'm going to tell him anything, he just lost his mother, and his father. He doesn't need me coming in telling him his father was dead a long time ago and that they weren't really his parents."

"Ms. Granger...I know they weren't my real parents..." A small voice spoke from behind her. Hermione spun around to see Adrian peaking from the door way. An apologetic look on Ginny's face, standing behind the boy.

"I tried, he just wouldn't hear of it...I'm sorry Hermione."

"It's fine...I guess...Adrian...what do you mean you already know?" Hermione knelt down in front of the child.

"Mummy and Daddy always told me that they had taken me in because my real mother was to young to take care of me..."

"Oh..Adrian," Hermione pulled the boy into her arms and kissed the top of his head gently. "You have a mother, and she's here now, she won't leave you again. I promise." Adrian looked up at her and wrapped his small arms around her neck while she held him close. He kissed her gently on the cheek, before pulling away slightly.

"Can I call you Mummy?" he asked her. She almost cried as she pulled him into her arms, holding her child close.

"You can call me whatever you like." She continued to sob while the Weasley's watched on. There was no secret now, that this woman, their dear friend for ten years , was the mother of this child.

Ginny knelt down beside the two, "Hermione, we need to get him ready so we can go soon. You want to be back before Severus gets back don't you?" Hermione looked up at her friend, and sister, and nodded her head, pulling Adrian away from her.

"You be a good boy and go with Aunt Ginny, ok? I'm going to stay down here and talk to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Be good!" She watched as he grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her towards the stairs, eager to go to Diagon Alley for the first time.

Hermione stood up and looked at Ron. "The agreement was that you came with me Ron, so you may want to finish your breakfast, and get ready." Hermione turned and walked out of the living room and into the kitchen to grab her wand that she had left on the table. Glancing again, at the note for Severus, she went to the room she had been staying in, and walked over to the dresser, pulling it open to reveal rolls of parchment. Taking one, she pulled out a quill and wrote a short message for Severus, letting him know where she is, and what she is doing. She folded it up and put his name on the outside, and brought it down to give it to Errol. She watched him as he took off towards Hogwarts to deliver her message.

Hermione felt a tugging on the back of her shirt, she turned around and looked down to see Adrian all cleaned up and ready to go. She smiled at him, and Ginny as she came into the room behind him. "Are you ready to go Hermione?" She asked.

"Yes, can we go by floo with me holding Adrian?" Hermione asked the younger girl. She nodded.

"Come now, Adrian." She grabbed his hand and brought him over by the fireplace, lifting him up into her arms. Hermione stepped into the fireplace and took a handful of floo powder and threw it down, yelling "Diagon Alley!" And she was gone in a blast of green flames. Ginny and Ron followed suit, one after the other, while Molly called George down to leave for Grimmauld Place.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Hermione was never overly comfortable traveling by floo...Adrian seemed almost scared when she stepped out of the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron. Ginny came next, then Ron. Ginny took a step toward Hermione and grabbed Adrian's other hand while Ron brought up the rear. They walked through the Leaky Cauldron to the back door, the way into Diagon Alley.

"Honestly Hermione, I don't see why you didn't just apparate here." Ron complained.

"Ron, shush, she didn't apparate because she has Adrian with her, apparating with children is dangerous sometimes." Ginny scolded him. Ron rolled his eyes at his sister.

Hermione picked Adrian up and continued walking into clothing stores, after that she went to the bookstore, for Adrian needed a book or two to keep him occupied at times. When they were done, they had bags of clothes for Adrian, and Hermione, and some shoes, and books for both as well. Ginny enjoyed the day out, Ron wished he could go home.

"Mummy! Can we get ice cream?!" Adrian asked excitedly, holding his mother's hand. She smiled down at him. Ginny looked at Hermione, and winked.

"I think that can be arranged, Adrian." Ginny took the boy's hand and began to run, slowly so that his little legs could keep up. Hermione stayed back with Ron, trusting the other girl with the child as they ran to the ice cream shop.

Ron and Hermione walked along quietly, awkwardly at first, then Hermione turned to face him.

"Ron...Why did you keep searching for me?" She asked.

"At first, when I started, it was because I cared about you, I loved you...Or I thought I did, as the year progressed, I kept looking for you because you were my best friend, and thought we needed each other to heal over the loss of Harry. I still care about you, Hermione. But, I can see that you belong with Severus, and I would like to keep the friendship between us, because I also understand, that you need an older man, you need someone more mature than me, someone to your standards of maturity, which isn't something I could ever get to." Ron continued walking, staring straight in front of him. Hermione walked along side him, watching his face as he spoke, she stopped. When Ron noticed that Hermione was no longer next to him, he turned around and glanced at her.

"Ron..Thank you. I didn't even know that you had been searching for me until Severus told me so...I'm very sorry, for everything. For hiding from you, and Severus, for not realizing it was time to come back home. For keeping Adrian a secret from you...and from Harry..."

"Why did you keep him a secret?" Ron walked back to her, and grabbed her hand. They began walking again in the direction of Ginny and Adrian, who were standing outside the ice cream shop. Adrian enjoying his strawberry ice cream, with Bertie Bott's every flavor beans topping it off. He had a huge ice cream covered smile on his face, that Hermione almost laughed.

"I kept him a secret because I was ashamed...Harry was my best friend...I didn't love him like that, it was an accident. And before we could even talk about it, I obliviated him. I didn't want him knowing that it ever happened. And when I found I was pregnant, I found it would be easier just to keep pretending it never happened. Because if I told Harry, I would have had to remove the spell, I would have had to reverse everything...And it would have ruined the friendship we had...I found it best not to say anything, and have the child in secret. When I moved to Godric's Hollow, Adrian's parents came to greet me. They told me that they knew I was the mother, but they didn't want my interference. So I said nothing. I didn't know that he knew that he wasn't theirs." Hermione looked at Ron and smiled. She took off running and swooped up her child. Spinning him once before holding him tightly in her arms. He giggled uncontrollably.

"What do you say we go back home, huh?" She asked him, as she held him on her hip. Adrian nodded, yawning slightly. "It's getting late, some of the shops are already closing down. I hadn't realized we'd been out all day." Ginny took Hermione's other hand, taking the few bags she was carrying.

"Severus is at Hogwarts...is he coming over tonight?"  
"Yes, he'll be back tonight. I guess I should tell him about Adrian..." Hermione sighed as they made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Don't worry, Hermione. He cares about you, he'll understand." Ron reassured her.

"He already knows I had a child. It's kind of hard to keep him out of a fourth year's head, especially with the bond that we share for some reason." Ginny raised her eyebrows, but Ron gave her a look, saying he'll explain everything later.

"If he knows already, then what is there to explain." Ginny asked.

"I'm not sure he realizes that it's this particular child." Hermione kissed the top of Adrians's head, he had fallen asleep on her shoulder only moments before. She regretted that she missed so much of his childhood. But at least she would be able to watch him go to Hogwarts for the first time, go through the gate to Platform 9 ¾, she would know first hand what house he would place his first year. She had no preference on which house, as long as he did well in it.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

When Hermione and the others walked out of the fireplace, finally home, no one seemed to be there. Ginny ran off around the house while Ron helped bring the things they bought into the bedroom that Hermione shared with Severus and Adrian. Hermione shifted the child back onto her hip before going upstairs to lay him down for the night.

As she left, closing the door gently behind her, familiar arms were snaking their way around her waist. She smiled and turned around to kiss the Slytherin behind her.

"He's asleep, can we go downstairs to talk?" He asked her. Hermione nodded and he grabbed her hand. When they were both downstairs he sat her down beside him on the couch. She snuggled up to him.

"How was your day?" She asked, biding her time.

"The same as always. Nitwits blowing up their cauldrons in their faces, Gryffindors dropping their ingredients, a few Slytherins actually did their potion wrong and flooded the room. It was havoc today." She smiled.

"But yet, you had to have that position back." She looked up at him.

"It wasn't my first choice Ms. Granger, and you know that just as well as I do." he kissed the top of her head as she rolled her eyes.

"Of course not, you only love potions. You know perfectly well that you are the best person for the job." She sat up and turned around.

Severus rolled his eyes at her. "How was your day in comparison?"

She fidgeted a little, hoping that he wouldn't notice. "I took Adrian out to Diagon Alley today. Went and bought some new clothes for him and a couple books. He loves to read, he almost took the entire book store!" She laughed. He narrowed his eyes curiously. She felt him push in her mind, but she kept him out. She wanted to tell him...it was better that way. Wasn't it? "I bought some new things for myself. I think the Weasleys may be working on cleaning up Grimmauld Place for him and I." She smiled.

"Hermione...You shouldn't have gone alone..."

"I didn't go alone, I had Ginny and Ron with me. Between the three of us, Adrian would not only be safe, but so would we. We have survived 7 years of Voldemort and his men, and we can probably survive a few more years of leaderless men. I just wish I knew where they came from..." She mused aloud.

"There's something you aren't telling me Hermione, and I don't like it. Will you please spare me the agony of not knowing what is going through that insufferable brain of yours?" She looked at Severus innocently...but then her eyes became downcast.

"Do you remember when I went to you and asked to be obliviated?" She asked him warily.

"Yes, but we decided not to, that we should wait to see what happened of it..."

"That's right, and I went to Poppy and discovered that I was pregnant. We kept everything hushed up because of how close it was to summer..."

"You had the child just before the end of summer before you went to Grimmauld Place with the Order. You had him adopted...What about it?"

"Adrian...is that child..." She closed her eyes, lowering her head.

"Does he know?" Severus grabbed her hand.

Hermione nodded. She lifted her head to look into his eyes. "He knows that he was adopted, his mother and father told him so. He was told that I was too young to take care of him. And he found out it was me earlier today. All the Weasleys know...Molly practically pinned me against a wall to make me spill the news. Figuratively, not literally, of course. But...All of them know. I thought that I should tell you...I didn't know what your reaction would be when I told you..I was honestly a little worried."

Severus smirked at her. "You are the brightest witch of your age...yet you can be slow and not so brilliant at times, Hermione. I already knew about the child you had with Potter. It has never bothered me, if anything, I was the one who helped you keep it quiet, and helped you get through. I helped with your potions, I helped with the glamour to keep it to where no one could tell you were pregnant." She looked up at him and nodded. "And I was the only one that knew who the father was and why you never told anyone. Trust me Hermione, I have no problem with who the child is."

She shrugged as she snuggled close to him. Her eyes were beginning to feel very heavy. She was tired, but she wanted to spend this time with Severus. She didn't get to say good bye the night before. Severus lifted her into his arms and began to carry her up the stairs. When he laid her in the bed next to Adrian, she stirred, and grabbed his cloak as he was walking away. Severus turned around to face her. She held her arms open for him and he knelt down towards her. She wiggled closer to him and kissed him gently on the lips. He didn't deepen the kiss, they both kept it light and sweet. When they broke off, her eyes were shining.

"No matter what Severus, I will always care about you, I never once stopped thinking about you...And no matter where I need to go, what I need to do, I will always hold you in my heart. Remember that." She closed her eyes and smiled. Severus kissed her again, and left the room. Before he closed the door, he could barely hear her whisper. The three words that he never thought he'd hear. And he wasn't even sure he heard her right. He apparated as soon as he was out of earshot of the house, back to the apparation point by Hogwarts. And still, his mind was a puzzle. He didn't sleep very well that night either. Thoughts of her saying it over and over going through his mind. And he still couldn't believe it.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

She woke up to clanging noises downstairs, and Weasley's hushing at each other. She looked beside her, Adrian wasn't there. Hermione choked back the mild feeling of panic, knowing that he had probably gone downstairs for breakfast before she had woken up. She heard a hesitant knock at the door, and sighed. Pulling herself out of bed, she opened the door to let the youngest Weasley into the room. Ginny smiled.

"Mum wants you downstairs, you can get changed if you want, just don't take too long. Mum will get impatient." Hermione sighed as Ginny left the room, wondering what the fuss was all about. She could still hear the others downstairs fussing at each other, Molly trying to shut everyone up. Hermione slowly changed, and stepped out of the bedroom door.

Hermione pulled her hair back slowly as she was walking downstairs to the kitchen, where all of the Weasley's had been sitting, waiting for her to come downstairs. And what's more surprising was that Severus stood there, holding Adrian's hand. Adrian struggled, and finally managed to pull away from Severus, and ran to his mother. His happy face smiling away as she picked him up. Yes, he was seven years old, and yes he was a tad bit small for his age. She missed so much of his life, she didn't bother reminding herself that she was treating him like a four year old, coddlling him, and spoiling him.

Adrian put a hand on either side of her face, pulling her face to look at his, as he smiled. The people in the room tried to cover their giggles as the little boy wiggled around happily in his mothers arms.

"Happy Birthday Mummy," he whispered in her face. Realization struck Hermione, as she tried to remember what day it was. Everyone in the room couldn't help but laugh now. Even Hermione had smiled as she sat down with the boy, and tickled him silly. Molly smiled at the screaming little boy, trying to get away from his mother's tickling hands, as she turned around and magically set the table, placing food along the center of the table, where everyone could grab what they wanted. She even had a cake waiting for Hermione, in the oven where she wouldn't find it. No one touched anything in her kitchen unless it was already cooked.

"Come on now, it's time to eat. Poor girl hasn't even gotten the chance to eat yet, and you are all already pestering her." Each Weasley in the room looked up from sitting around her, and stood to go eat. Severus took Adrian from Hermione as she stood, and placed him in the chair between her and himself.

Arthur cleared his throat as he looked at Hermione. "Now, it may seem like we haven't gotten you a present, and I'll have you know, we have. They are just not here right now. We'll all go get them later." Molly swatted him on the back of the head with her apron as she put it away, before taking her chair and eating along with the rest.

"You aren't supposed to tell her anything, Arthur. Including where they are, and that we've gotten something for her."

"Oh, it's all right Mrs. Weasley, I don't expect anything. I had even forgotten it was even my birthday today." Hermione smiled as she put food on her child's plate.

"Oh, don't be silly, you know how we are. Birthdays are a big deal, and holidays, and every other big occasion in between. It's even more important now since Fred..." Molly trailed off, looking sad, and almost haunted. But she snapped herself back together. "Eat, all of you!" She insisted. Hermione listened, as did all the Weasley's, and Adrian. Severus just watched Mrs. Weasley carefully. He had grown fond of the matronly woman... annoyingly so. Though, when he noticed her glaring at him, he began to eat, only looking up at her again once. She was back to normal, though everyone knew, that she will never truly heal from the loss of her son. A parent should never have to bury a child. Which is why he understood Hermione's determination to keep Adrian in her sight at all times. Never to let him go.

Hermione was finished eating first, followed by the rest of them. She tried coaxing Adrian to finish his meal, he, like every other child, was determined to not have to eat their entire meal. Until Hermione said that they would stay home, while everyone else went out to wherever they had planned to go that day. Knowing that they weren't just going to stay at the Barrow all day. Which made Adrian eat everything on his plate, and grin up at his mother, his face an utter mess. Hermione laughed as she cleaned his face with her napkin, placing a small kiss on his forehead.

Hermione stood up, patting her son on his shoulder as he got down from his chair. "Go get dressed now, please." She asked him, and he ran off upstairs to do as she asked.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

When Adrian came downstairs, they all gathered by the fireplace.

"Hermione, you and Adrian go first." Molly said, as Hermione carried Adrian into the fireplace, and handed her some floo powder.

"Mrs. Weasley...where exactly are we going? I can't floo without knowing." Hermione asked, Severus forced back a chuckle.

"Grimauld place." Molly stood back, holding out her arm in front of her family as Hermione lifted her arm, throwing the floo powder down, shouting "Number 12 Grimmauld Place" loudly, and clearly.

When Hermione arrived there, she hardly recognized the place.

"SURPRISE!" Adrian cried, throwing his arms around his mother, and nuzzling her neck.

"Did you know about this?" She asked smiling, as Severus came through the fireplace, smirking.

"Yes, he knew. We brought him here as soon as he woke up. We wanted to see if he thought you would like it, or well...Molly told him, and he made the point that he had to approve first."

Hermione looked at the little boy, smiling away. "Is that so?" She said, setting him down on the floor, and watched as he ran off. She almost went after him, before Severus took her hand.

"It's been child proofed, there is nothing in there that can harm him. With Narcissa and Andromeda being the only Black's left, they helped us remove everything that could harm him. And all the things that you, as a Gryffendor, would find 'disturbing'" Severus smirked, and she just stared after her child as he ran around playing, running from one room, into the next. Severus took her hand and walked her upstairs.

"I already know where everything is..." She protested.

"That may be so, but I want to see the look on your face, as you see what all we've done." He smiled, she didn't think she'd ever seen him smile so much, as she had since the time she returned to the Burrow. "The Weasley's should be coming soon, they wanted to give you a moment."

"They really didn't have to..." Hermione said, but she did admit, it was a little brighter. "What about Kreacher?" She asked.

"He now serves at Hogwarts. With him being free, he's mellowed out a bit...he still has a mild hatred for muggle borns, and supposed 'blood traitors', so Minerva thought best to put him somewhere where he won't cause any accidental harm, whether it be physical, or emotional." Hermione nodded. "Minerva also gave us permission to do all of this, and it didn't take much for her to convince Narcissa and Andromeda. Both didn't really like how it was, they couldn't stomach it."

The day went on quite the same way. The Weasleys arrived shortly after, and Hermione gushed about the new furniture in each bedroom. The different color schemes in each room, which she later found was George's idea, which earned him a kiss on the cheek from Hermione. When all was said and done, the Weasley's made a point to have the cake in Hermione's new kitchen. Here at Number 12 Grimmauld place.

When they had been finished, they all flooed to Diagon Alley for some shopping..which Severus had to admit, he enjoyed it, mildly. They apparated to Hogsmeade after that, and went to the Three Broomsticks to enjoy some butterbeers, and Adrian got an ice cream.

After such a long day, they decided to floo back to the Burrow, all ready for bed. But when Hermione shouted "The Burrow", nothing happened. They weren't taken there. Panicked, they all apparated back. No one expected what they arrived home to.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Molly looked as if she could scream, her eyes welling up with tears as she fell to her knees. Hermione held Adrian's hand tighter, and Severus moved protectively to her other side to keep her son from harm. Arthur laid his hand on Molly's shoulder as Ron and George just stared. Ginny was shocked, but her thought process still in working order, noticed a black owl perched on a gate near the burning house.

"Look, Hermione!" She cried, pointing as the owl flew from his perch and morphed into a cloaked man.

"Mudblood. Your filth shall be disposed of!" He came running towards Hermione, drawing his wand, with the intention to kill. Severus moved in front of him.

"Sectumsepmra!" he yelled, hitting the Death Eater square in the chest. Ron ran straight for the Death Eater, and sent a spell, tying him up so he couldn't move.

"I'm going to take him to the ministry, Severus, get Hermione somewhere safe." Ron apparated away, taking the Death Eater with him.

Severus moved to take Hermione's arm. "Wait," she said. "Molly, take Adrian, and Apparate to Grimmauld place, Arthur, go with her, you two put as many protective charms as you can muster around the place, keep yourselves safe. George and Ginny, we are going to visit Professor McGonagall, Severus, you may come with us to the castle, but then we need you with Ron as a witness." Hermione knelt down, and kissed her shivering son on his forehead. "Mummy's going to Hogwarts to do something about this, we'll get this sorted out and find a way to protect you, and everyone else. Go with Grandma Weasley, ok?" Adrian looked up at his mother, and hugged her, nodding. "I love you sweet heart. Be safe." He ran over to Molly and Arthur, who apparated away, taking Adrian with them. Hermione looked over at the others, all watching her suspiciously.

"What do you expect to accomplish?" Severus asked her.

"We are rebuilding the DA." Hermione looked over at Ginny. "As soon as we get to the castle, I'm going up to talk to McGonnagall, you and George will write a letter, or note, to each surviving member of the DA and call them to Hogwarts. Got it?" Both nodded. "Good, lets go." They disapparated.

When they reached the apparation point in Hogsmeade, all four of them began running, as fast as they could to the castle, across the grounds, and into the castle. They didn't slow down until reaching the headmistress' office. Severus kissed Hermione on her forehead before turning around and leaving the school, heading for the Ministry of Magic. Ginny and George kept running, their destination was the owlery. Hermione was left there, before Severus had left, he had said the password for her, and the gargoyle jumped aside to grant her passage. Hermione took a deep breath, and climbed the stairs, not knowing what she would find there.

When she reached the Headmistress' door, she lifted her hand to knock, but before she could McGonnagal called her to enter. "Ms. Granger, it's good to see you." She smiled as she rose out of her seat.

"Professor...It is good to see you as well, I just wish I would have visited under different circumstances." The headmistress' face fell, as she lowered herself into her seat, watching Hermione gravely. "Death Eaters are running around, and they are after me, I'm their first target, it'll be only a matter of time before another master comes to claim them. And then we'll have another war on our hands."

"What do you suggest?" McGonnagall asked, looking horrified.

"Dumbledore's Army." Hermione said simply. "Rebuild the Order, and Dumbledore's Army. Any student over the age of 16 can take extra defense against the dark arts class on the weekend, and when Hogwarts is threatened, they do what we did. And when they turn 18, or graduate from Hogwarts, they are automatically given an invitation to the Order of the Phoenix."

The headmistress nodded. "What do you need."

"I need you to call each student from sixth year to seventh year into the Great Hall. I wish to speak with them, I have previous members of the DA on their way to join me in this discussion. And I wish for you, and Severus to teach them, if not the previous members." McGonnagall nodded in agreement.

"You make your way down to the Great Hall to meet the other members, and get yourselves ready. When there is only five minutes left of class, I'll make the announcement to give you enough time to prepare."

"Thank you Professor." Hermione turned to leave.

"No, Ms. Granger, thank you, it was your idea, and it was your warning." Hermione smiled and nodded, and made her way to the Great Hall, and to the fellow members of Dumbledore's Army.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 21

_-Alice Tolipan_

_Alicia Spinnet_

_Angelina Johnson_

_Anthony Goldstein_

_Cho Chang_

_Colin Creevey_

_Cormac McLaggen_

_Dean Thomas_

_Dennis Creevey_

_Ernie Macmillan_

_Fred Weasley_

_George Weasley_

_Ginevra Weasley_

_Hannah Abbott_

_Harry Potter_

_Hermione Granger_

_Justin Finch-Fletchley_

_Katie Bell_

_Lavender Brown_

_Lee Jordan_

_Luca Caruso_

_Luna Lovegood_

_Marietta Edgecombe_

_Michael Corner_

_Neville Longbottom_

_Nigel Wolpert_

_Padma Patil_

_Parvati Patil_

_Romilda Vane_

_Ronald Weasley_

_Susan Bones_

_Terry Boot_

_Zacharias Smith_

"This is a list of the original Defense Association's, otherwise known as Dumbledore's Army, members. Not many actually fought, but the few who did fought bravely. Harry Potter, who I'm sure that most of you know about, taught us defensive spells and helped Ron Weasley, and I to form this group." Hermione stood in front of all the sixth and seventh years at Hogwarts. She felt nervous, she never felt comfortable with public speaking, but Harry wasn't here to save her now. She cleared her throat and continued. "When we started the DA, the Ministry was interfering at Hogwarts, believing that our Headmaster, the late Professor Dumbledore, was starting an army against the Ministry to overthrow it. The Minister was lying about a dark wizard we all know, Lord Voldemort, saying that he had not returned. He sent one of those working for him to our school, and we were no longer being taught defensive spells, we were being taught theory out of a book. That's why we started the DA." Ginny stepped forward.

"Most of us went on to be members of the Order of the Phoenix. Which has not been active in quite some time. But we are offering all of you a position in the DA, which includes mandatory weekend classes on Defense training. Your headmistress has agreed to this. And we all believe that it would be best that some students 16 and up to be given the chance to join, and defend their school when the need arises."

"Why are you bringing the DA and the Order of the Phoenix back? There hasn't been any trouble with the dark arts for years." A student asked from the back.

Hermione cleared her throat. "We don't know who they are, but there are dark wizards who have taken on the appearance and role of Death Eaters. I have been attacked, The Weasley's house has been destroyed, and my son's adoptive parents were murdered only a few weeks ago. Someone is back. And it won't be long before a leader comes along and turns into the New Voldemort."

"We want to give all of you a chance to fight back if you wish. If you don't, it won't be held against you, and you are free to leave. We understand if you don't want to. But we do encourage you to pay extra attention when learning Defense Against the Dark Arts. If you do accept, and sign up, however, the moment you graduate from Hogwarts, you will be given an automatic invitation to join the Order." Ginny stood next to Hermione, her arm on her shoulder.

George moved forward and sat down at the table with the sign up sheet. "Those of you who are not willing to sign up, you are required to leave now. You need to go to your classes because only those who plan on being members are excused from class temporarily. I want a line to start in alphabetical order, last names starting with an A to the front and on back."

The process of regrouping didn't take much longer than half an hour. The original group members were surprised when very few sixth years left the room. Most of the seventh years were able to recognize all of them, and understood that what they said was the truth, knowing that none of them would lie about something as grave as this. When the signing was done, George stood from his chair and thanked everyone, and said how he regretted the need for students to be put through this, but knowing all of his friends back when he was at Hogwarts, he knew that sixth and seventh years were strong willed and more than willing to fight. Especially the Gryffendors. Hermione smiled at everyone in turn, though her chest felt tight, her heart breaking for every single child who signed their names on that piece of paper that would inevitably take some of their lives in the end, just as they had all lost Fred and Harry, along with almost half of the original DA.

Ginny stepped up beside Hermione and grabbed her hand, lightly squeezing it in a comforting gesture. Hermione looked at her and smiled grimly.

"I don't want to have to involve all of these children."

"I know, Hermione. But the moment they signed their names, they all became adults. The moment they start with their extensive training, they will all become adults."

"They have all signed their death certificate. I wish more have walked out." Hermione sighed and stared at the ground under her when all of the students had left the room.

"Don't say that, Hermione. Most of us survived."

Hermione looked back up at Ginny, a pained expression in her eyes. "Most of us. But we still lost many." Hermione stepped down from the daise in the room and walked out of the great hall.

Ginny stared after her then looked around and saw other DA members who had walked in halfway through the signing and was briefed on everything. Finding Neville, she moved to stand by him. He looked pale, but more confidant than she had ever seen him in school.

"It's been a long time," she said in greeting. "How are you and Luna?"

Neville smiled. "We are doing great. We just celebrated our two year anniversary yesterday." Neville was beaming, and she knew he was exited about something other than their anniversary.

"Where is Luna?" Ginny asked, looking around.

"I made her stay home. I'm not letting her leave the house without me there to help her."

"Did she get hurt?" Ginny asked worried.

"Nothing of the sort." Neville continued to smile, his smile actually growing the more we spoke of Luna. "We also found out that she was pregnant yesterday."

"Oh my gosh, Neville! Congratulations!" Ginny gushed. "I know this is a bad time, after such good news, but I need you to do something for me."

"Well...It depends on what it is, I need to get home soon, I told Luna I wouldn't be gone long."

"I need you to go to the headmistress' office and discuss with her the scheduling plans for extra defense classes for those who have signed up for DA." Ginny took on a serious look, and Neville snapped to attention. "We need it to be every weekend, a few hours on Saturday, and if anyone struggles, have a sort of tutor session on Sunday. I know no one likes weekend classes, but this is absolutely necessary." Neville nodded and turned away and headed for the headmistress' office.

Ginny sighed and turned to leave the Great Hall. 'Great...We have put students in a war. Again,' she thought as she stepped out of the castle and into the sunlight.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

After Hermione had left the Great Hall she went straight to the apparation point in Hogsmead, not caring that she was leaving her job unfinished, knowing that Ginny could take care of it. Or at least order other people to do it and do the best she can.

When Hermione arrived at Grimmauld place, the wards had kept her out, so she sent her otter patronus in letting the occupants know it was her. Soon, Arthur had come out, wand at the ready, to let her in, or get rid of the intruder. He relaxed considerably when he saw it was her, but still looking watchful and tense as he let her in and threw up the wards again.

"Thank you for taking care of him," Hermione said as they walked through the house.

"We've had this house set up for you for a little while now. I just wish you wouldn't have had to move in here on such dire circumstances." He looked down at her and smiled sadly, as they stepped through the door to the front room, where Adrian sat playing with toys, that Hermione could only imagine were transfigured from something else in the house.

When Adrian looked up his eyes lit up when he saw Hermione. He forgot all about the toys around him on the floor and stood to run, "mummy!" the boy cried as she knelt to one knee and held him tight. "Mummy, I don't want the bad men to get you," he sobbed into Hermione's shoulder.

"Shhhh, I won't let that happen baby. It's ok, Mummy will be fine, and she will protect you." Hermione rubbed Adrian's back while he cried, before seeing a silvery white doe materialize, requesting entrance to the house. Arthur went to get him too.

Hermione picked her son up, before sitting in a rocking chair, and rocking her sobbing son. He soon quieted, still awake, and holding tightly to Hermione. Severus stepped into the room and went to kneel in front of Hermione, and kissed her. Seeing her safe and alive was important to him. She had always been important to him. Though there was no use for them to use their mental bond now, they often used it throughout her days at Hogwarts. And though on the outside, he treated her horribly, in their minds he treated her with the respect that he knew she deserved. It wasn't until her fourth year that he had started to care for her, soon admitting to himself, and only himself, that he had indeed loved her.

Severus took Adrian from her, and Adrian went and wrapped his small arms around Severus' neck. He was wide awake, and Hermione needed time to herself. And Severus would make sure that she got the time that she needed. He stood and walked Adrian into the kitchen where Molly surely was. "Molly, would you be so kind as to watch Adrian for the rest of the day," he asked her, and she glanced at him, and nodded. "I'm sorry, I know you need alone time, but I thought that having a child to take care of would help you in some way, and Hermione needs to be alone for a little while too." Molly nodded and stood, stepping over and taking Adrian's hand as she accio'd a children's story book from one of the shelves in the library. Severus smiled, knowing he was in very capable hands, and stepped out of the kitchen and back to Hermione.

Without her son in her arms, she felt empty. She would even admit to being slightly terrified, but when Severus grabbed her hand pulling her to her feet, she followed him to what she would have assumed as her bedroom, had she been paying attention to their surroundings and not to the floor.

She heard the door close gently behind her, and felt Severus' hands on her shoulders, leading her to a desk chair. He kissed her lightly on the forehead, as Severus took out a hairbrush, and gently ran it through her messy curls. Hermione allowed her eyes to close as she let out a stressed sigh. When Severus was done with her hair, he sat her brush down, and went to massage her shoulders. When he felt that she was shaking slightly he moved to see her face. Hermione cried gently, but he could tell that she had felt lost, and broken. He knew that she didn't want to fight anymore, didn't want to put her son in danger, and definitely did not want children at Hogwarts to fight what they themselves didn't pay enough attention to prevent.

Severus ran his thumb down her cheek lovingly, drying her eyes with the gesture. "I know." he whispered to her as she fell into his embrace and cried harder. His heart broke knowing that she was again forced to do what she didn't want to. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her down gently. Laying beside her, he pulled her into his arms, and she held tightly to the front of his robes. He rubbed her back gently, as he felt her calm down slowly. When he heard her breathing steadily, he moved to leave the room to let her sleep. But she kept a hold of his robes and he smiled, putting his arm around her again, pulling her to him and holding tight. Letting her know that he was never going to let go.

Hermione peaked up at him from his embrace, and stretched up and lightly kissed him. Severus smiled against her lips and met her kiss just as gently. Both pouring into their kisses what they felt, what he had felt for years. Severus brought his hand up the the back of her neck and lightly held her head, unwilling to let her go, but she never tried. His breath caught in his throat when she deepened the kiss. He moved to pull away, but Hermione brought her hands up and held either side of his head, moving her mouth against his slowly, but hungrily. Severus moved her hands away from his face as he broke the kiss, and pressed gentle kisses against her face and neck, holding her hands together against his chest, as she watched him curiously.

"While, I do love you greatly, Hermione. It might be a bad time for this," he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. "And I need to know that you really want this, and that you are sure." He felt Hermione relax, not realizing that she had gone rigid when he had pulled away.

"I'm never sure about anything," she whispered. "But I am sure that I won't regret this. I won't force you though..." he saw in her eyes that she would be terribly disappointed if he didn't love her the way she thought she needed. But looking at her, he leaned in and claimed her lips again, both moving together as if they had been for years. When his hand moved down her waist, she moved closer, and shivered when his hand softly went under the bottom of her shirt. Severus trailed his fingers against her soft skin, loving the way her body responded to him. He wanted to be as careful with her as possible, and reminded himself that it wasn't her first time, he still wanted to be as gentle with her as he would if it were.

When Hermione pulled him closer,, Severus slowly moved over her, as his hand moved to rest on her belly. He pulled his face away from hers and stared down at her as her eyes fluttered open, watching him, a question in her eyes. Hermione's eyes got bigger when she felt a swirling feeling in her stomach, it wasn't unpleasant, but her breath caught with the discomfort. It felt strange, and she whispered, "What was that?" He moved to claim her mouth again, chuckling under his breath.

"Contraceptive charm," he whispered back to her, also moving his hand away, just enough to put a silencing charm on the room.

Hermione moved to remove her shirt, his hand caught hers, as he pulled his face away from hers, and smiled down at her gently. "I want to do that," he whispered. A blush rose on her cheeks, and he kissed her, as his hand slowly moved the hem of her shirt up her belly. There was no doubt that he wanted her, and he entered her mind through their bond, and felt everything she was feeling. She was unsure, which made him a little nervous, but she wasn't unsure about what they were doing, it was an automatic nervousness that she held onto from her first time with Harry. 'Relax,' he thought to her, 'you are with someone who loves you, someone who will take care of you. And if you need this to stop, I will stop.'

Hermione let out a breath she didn't realize that she had been holding, when he had spoke in her mind, and it took her a second to even realize that her shirt had been gone. She moved her hands up his chest, and threw off his outer robe, and moved her hands to the many buttons on his frock. She soon became irritated with the many buttons.

"Could you wear something a little more difficult!" She muttered, frustrated. He chuckled as he kissed her again, and he moved his hands and forced the buttons undone, silently.

"Will that help you?" he asked teasingly, and she rolled her eyes. When she pushed the coat down, she growled in irritation, finding yet, more buttons and he just continued to kiss her, while she did away with his white undershirt. When both of his shirts had been disposed of, he pulled her up onto her knees, never breaking the kiss. He snaked his arms around her slim waist, loving the feeling of her skin on his. Severus pulled away, and stared into her eyes, as his hands moved up to remove her bra. Hermione blushed again, as she was suddenly more exposed. Her stomach doing a little flip-flop.

Severus pulled her closer again, as he ran his hands over her upper body, loving and memorizing everything, every way her skin had raised in areas where her scars were from the war that she should not have lived through. Tracing the way her waist curved, memorizing the way her waist met her hips. Caressing as much of her, and memorizing as much as he could, but kept her close. Severus brought his hands to her face, and pulled her away, just long enough to look into her eyes, then kissed her, just a little more fiercely. He let his hands run down the front of her body, letting his thumb graze the little peaks on her breast, as she trembled. His hands slowly moved to the muggle pants she always wore. When Hermione felt him unbuttoning her jeans she pulled back and stared into his black eyes. Not stopping him, but encouraging him with her eyes, and he was soon pushing the material down her legs. As he was pushing the fabric down her thighs, he felt her unbutton and move his pants down his legs just as he was doing to her, and before he laid her down on the bed to finish removing her pants, he kicked his own off.

When Hermione was laying flat on her back again, he brought her pants completely off of her, and stared. He memorized her with his hands already, but she looked even more beautiful than she felt. Each mark on her skin showed how brave she was, and what she fought for. He had scars of his own, but they didn't shine the way hers were. They clashed against his skin, and made him feel the need to hide. But even when he had slowly lost his clothes to her touch, he never shied away from her, and let her see what was all over him, knowing that she would accept them, because she had her own. He lowered himself to kiss her more as he moved his hand down her body, slipping inside her moist panties, and gently rubbing the small bundle of nerves that hid there. Hermione gasped at the sudden feeling that washed over her. This was nothing like what happened between her and Harry years ago. That had been frantic, painful, and fearful. Desperate to make the feelings go away.

With Severus, it was careful, drawn out, a little unsure on her part, and he took care of her. Made sure that she was ready to take this step with him, made sure to be careful, and use a contraceptive charm. Severus made sure he had touched every inch of her, before his hand had inched down between her thighs, and she loved the way he made her feel. Hermione felt loved, and taken care of. Knowing that he would never do what she wasn't ready for. She sat up slightly, never breaking their kiss, but pulled away sharply and gasped as he gently rubbed her. She moved her hands to take his underwear off of him, and he chuckled when he started to trail kisses down her neck, and let himself be fully exposed to her. Hermione snaked an arm around his shoulder, and let her other hand hold the back of his head, while she brought him back down with her.

Severus reached up and pulled both hands away, and laid them by her side and he kissed her again. He moved his body lower, allowing him to kiss every inch of her, slowly moving down her body. He placed a kiss on each side, before biting down lightly, just enough for her to feel his teeth against her skin. When he removed her panties, she reached down to pull him up to her again, he shook his head and laid her hands by her sides again, and she watched him curiously. Severus lowered his head and placed a kiss on each of her thighs, Hermione's eyes widening when she saw what he was about to do, but still had his firm grasp, holding her hands in place so she wouldn't stop him.

When he flicked his tongue out to her core, she arched her back slightly, gasping. He smirked at her, her thoughts still swirling around in his head. He felt her blush in his mind, and saw the inner turmoil as she fought herself between what she wanted, and what she felt she should do. But he kept his hands firmly pinning hers down so she couldn't stop him. Severus moved his tongue, each time hitting that one spot that made her writhe underneath him. He bit her lightly and she cried out, but he needed her, he took one of his hands away, slowly slipping a finger inside her and she gasped again at his touch. He continued his licking, and biting until he could feel her tightening around the finger that he moved inside of her, and he slipped one more inside her and moved them more fiercely, showing no mercy in what he was doing to her. He felt her release before she cried out. And he continued to torment her lower body. Making her writhe and whimper underneath him, before he moved away and moved himself up her body. He kissed her roughly, before pulling one of the many pillows on the bed and moving it under her hips. He continued to kiss her as he moved himself closer, letting himself slide in between her legs, as he felt her still twitching around him from her first release.

Hermione continued to whimper and moan with each gentle push at her sensitive button inside her. Severus wanted to be gentle, wanted to show her everything he felt for her. It was hard to keep his slow steady pace when he heard all of her sounds, wanted to make them louder, and more frequent. When he looked down at her, her eyes were pleading him. Urging him on in their minds and he quickened his pace, hissing at how she felt beneath him. He deepened himself inside her, pushing against her sweet button harder, and heard her whimpers become louder, her moans becoming more frenzied as he worked her body's control to a breaking point.

When Severus realized that she was forcing her release back, trying to draw out the sensations, he smirked against her lips and moved his hand down her body, and began rubbing the bundle of nerves between her legs, and her breath caught in her throat as her control slipped, and she moved underneath him. When he felt his control coming undone he moved in her faster and harder, his hand quickening his pace against her and her cries became quiet screams as she released a second time, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as he continued to move, clenching his teeth, not wanting to end it there. He wanted her to scream for him at least one more time before he found his own release. And he continued to move, both inside and outside her opening, When he felt her getting nearer to the edge he pulled back and thrust inside her hard making her cry out, he continued to do that until he had heard her scream again in a third release, letting himself detonate inside her.

Severus felt his arms turn to jelly as he tried not to fall on her, but rolled them both onto their sides and held her close, not even wanting to pull himself out of her. But he trembled everytime she twitched around him, so he was forced to remove himself. Hermione continued to shiver, her body not used to her previous activity, and he pulled a blanket over her after casting a cleansing charm on their bodies. He wanted to be slow with her, gentle, and let everything he felt pour into each movement. But neither of them truly needed that at the moment. All Hermione wanted was to feel him with her, to assure her that he was there, and to relieve the stress and tension throughout her body. Channeling her fears into something more...appealing. Severus didn't mind in the least, and kissed her forehead as she fell asleep in his arms.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

When Hermione woke up the next morning, Severus was no longer beside her. "I guess he only took time off for my birthday," she mused to herself. She felt a little body wiggle against her, and remembered Adrian sneaking into her bedroom in the middle of the night. She had woken up enough to magically put hers and Severus' clothes back on them before Adrian even crawled under the covers and snuggled against her.

When she felt him wiggle again, she pulled the blanket over their heads, and waited for his eyes to open. When he did, he started to giggle, and she tackled him, and hugged him to her as he giggled more. "Mummy! Stop!" he giggled more when Hermione found a tickle spot on his side. She smirked at him, and his eyes got wide as she pinned him and tickled him more fiercely, and he laughed loudly, and tried pulling away from Hermione, but she held on tight. When she finally let go of him, he was laughing hard as he ran out of the bedroom, escaping the evil tickles.

Hermione eventually forced herself out of bed, being fully awake now due to her giggling child. Her birthday hadn't exactly ended on a good note, but it was another day. They were all alive, her son was happy and safe, and she finally felt whole after too many long lost years of wandering. It would be a long time before Hermione would be fully healed, but now she was accepting it, letting herself try. Letting Severus try.

Hermione knew that she couldn't stay being angry at herself, she couldn't keep blaming herself for everything that had happened, because now she had a son to raise. A child that she knew that she never should have kept from Harry. Harry had died protecting his child, and he didn't even know it. And now he never would. Though, he probably did, probably smiled down on the brown haired boy. Now thinking about it, Hermione realized how much the boy took after Harry. He had his messy hair, maybe not the color, which was the same color as Hermione's, but his beautiful green eyes were exactly like Harry's. Watching her son play with Ginny, she wanted to cry for the friend she had lost, they had all lost, and the father that Adrian had lost.

Ginny looked up and saw Hermione's eyes, shiny with unshed tears, and looked down and straight into Harry's eyes. Only it wasn't Harry staring back at her. Her breath caught when she realized that Adrian really had been Harry's son, and she glanced back at Hermione, eyes wide. But Hermione had already moved into the kitchen. Ginny stood and kissed the top of Adrian's head and told him to play on his own for a little bit.

When Ginny walked into the kitchen, staring wide eyed at Hermione, she could hardly speak. "His...Eyes? He has his...Eyes?!" She stuttered.

Hermione nodded slowly. "He was born with blue eyes like most light eyed babies, so I didn't know they would be that green. I never even realized that he would have green eyes." Hermione sighed. "But we have more important things to discuss. Did you talk to McGonagall about class scheduling for the DA lessons?"

Ginny nodded, "I told Neville and he went and talked to her."

"Did Luna ever show up?"

"No, Luna is pregnant, they just found out the day before yesterday, so Neville doesn't want her involved, and I agree."

"I agree as well, though I didn't know. But then again, how could I?"

"You have been hiding from everyone for about three years...It isn't expected for you to know these things."

Hermione sighed. "You're right. What are we going to do about teaching? I'm not good at defensive spells...I never have been."

Ginny smirked, "Well, one thing you weren't good at in school, I'm so surprised."

"Sod off." Hermione glared.

"Oh calm down. Ron and I can teach them, Neville can teach them, though he needs to stay with Luna as much as possible. I'm sure Severus can help, he's been after that position for years."

"Makes me wonder why he didn't just take it."

"I guess he figured that if he did something tragic would happen and he'd be removed from the position after only a year." Both girls laughed.

"I don't mind him taking over teaching the students...But I don't want it every time. He would be great at it...but I think you and Ron should do it. I want Severus close by when he doesn't have to be at school." Hermione admitted. Ginny nodded in understanding.

"Ok, well that's taken care of. Is there anything else we need to do?" Ginny asked.

"I really don't know..." Hermione thought. "I need to discuss it with Severus to see if there's anything else." Ginny stood to go back out to play with Adrian, before she thought of something else.

"What are you going to do with Adrian if this isn't over by the time he goes to Hogwarts?" Ginny asked.

"Homeschool him. I'm sure there must be a way to do that, can't imagine that every magical child in existence is in an organized school."

"True," Ginny said as she left the room. Hermione stood to walk out of the room to bring her son into the kitchen to eat. Molly and Arthur had gone to the Burrow to rebuild their house with George and Ron. And Adrian hadn't even been awake yet, so he hadn't eaten. But when she glanced out a window, that had only just been placed yesterday, she saw someone staring at the place Number 12 should have been. Hermione stared back out at him, and almost screamed when his eyes had landed on hers. His eyes were changing between an evil red, and a friendly green, and she felt her knees go weak under her, and hit the table hard on her way down to the floor. The last thing that she was able to focus on before the darkness took her was Ginny's red hair, and Adrian screaming for her.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"Do you have any idea what happened to her Ginny?" She heard Severus ask, in a calm and collected, but strained voice.

"I have no idea! I had left for the living room to keep Adrian company and I just heard her hit the table, and ran to see what had happened." Hermione heard Ginny from across the room.

"There was a man..." she whispered, opening her eyes and staring into Severus' piercing black ones. She was no longer in the kitchen, but she laid on a sofa, she assumed in the living room.

"What do you mean, Hermione?" Molly said from behind Severus.

"May I?" Severus asked, Hermione nodded and felt him poking around in her mind, before hearing a sharp gasp at what he saw. Hermione laid her head back down, closing her eyes. She was so tired all of a sudden, and her head hurt.

"I want to sleep..." she murmured. Severus raised his wand and muttered a small spell. She had a minor concussion. He used the spell required to get it on the mend, and picked her up off the sofa.

"Molly, I know I've asked this a lot, but will you please watch Adrian? She needs to sleep, and I can help with Adrian, but I need to stay near her." Molly simply nodded, a worried and tired smile forming on her lips.

"Take her, make her feel better Severus. Adrian will be fine."

"Thank you, Molly. I'll make it up to you somehow."

"No need, just get my girl feeling better. That's payment enough." Severus smiled at that and turned to carry Hermione up the stairs.

"The eyes..." he heard Hermione mutter. "I can't get them out of my head..."

"I know, I know. I don't know who it was, but I know something is going on. The Death Eaters shouldn't be as dangerous now...they now have a leader. But they could be more dangerous, he is conflicted." Severus laid her down on her bed.

"Seems like all I do is sleep and eat anymore," Hermione chuckled, without humor.

"Well, you've been through a great deal of stuff since we found you." Severus went to drag a chair to sit beside her. She grabbed the cuff of his sleeve.

"Don't leave..." she pleaded.

"I'm not going anywhere."

Hermione held tightly still, pulling him to her.

"Hermione, I really shouldn't..." Severus began to protest.

"I want you too...I just want you near me...His eyes...Their eyes..." Severus whispered his way into her mind, seeing both Harry's and the Dark Lord's eyes flashing, taking turns on which to haunt her. Harry's always looked pleadingly, and the Dark Lord's, always angry. Vengeance. The man in her memories somehow had both of them inside him. Severus hissed when he felt the Dark Mark on his arm burn. It hadn't bothered him in 3 years. The Dark Lord was dead and gone. Killed by the witch, currently laying in his arms. Something wasn't right. He just knew it. And Severus knew that Hermione knew something was wrong too.

Hermione moved around to look In his face. She saw fear, pain, worry, and most of all, rage in his eyes. She knew that the rage wasn't towards her, but she couldn't help but shudder at the look. "What's wrong?" She asked him gently.

Severus looked down at his witch pleadingly. "The Dark Mark...I'm being summoned...But he's dead, I don't understand."

She sat up, feeling dizzy she held onto the bed post. "You can't go to him!"

"If I don't go the pain will increase, until I will be rendered unconscious from it. I wouldn't doubt that it would kill me eventually." Severus sighed, and brought her back down to him gently. "There's nothing I can do but go."

"You aren't going alone." Hermione went to stand up, but he held her there. "What?"

"Your head is still on the mend from hitting the table earlier, do you honestly think I'm going to let you leave this house and face an evil wizard with control issues, and no doubt serious hatred for you, being the one who killed him."

"You can't go alone Severus!"

"I won't go alone. But I am not going to put you in danger! You have a child here who needs you! Do you want to risk your life knowing that he now has his mother? Knows nothing about his father, and if you leave him now and don't come back, you are leaving him without anyone."

Hermione just sat there silently. She loved her son, and didn't want to leave him behind. She didn't want him growing up not knowing who his father had been. But she didn't want Severus to leave without her. "Take the DA with you," she whispered. "Send me a patronus if things get out of hand. I will come to you." She stood and reached into the drawer in the bedside table and opened it. She pulled out a galleon. "This is enchanted to send messages. I have an extra. I made that one specifically for you if anything were to happen. I can't loose you. If you rub on it when you need me the most, it will send me coordinates to apparate to. Please be careful...I love you."

"I love you too, Hermione. I will leave Ginny here for you. You need someone here with you, and while Molly can probably handle it, I want her to keep Adrian downstairs and out of your hair till you are better. And believe it or not, Ginny is a wonderful Healer." He leaned down and kissed her, and felt her hold on him tighten, just for a second before he pulled away and strode out of the room. He heard her quiet sobs as he walked out the door, and it broke him in half just to keep going. Inching away from her, and into the lair of a deranged wizard who is supposed to be dead.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

When Severus apparated, he appeared in a well furnished home. It wasn't grand like a manor, it was a place that felt like home. Somewhere a family could live comfortably for years and never need anything else. The house itself spoke of many happy memories. Severus looked around at all of the photographs around the room hung all over the walls. It seemed to be just a couple who lived here, happily just the two of them.

"Nice of you to show. Though I had so hoped that you would have had the decency to bring a date." A voice spoke from across the room. Severus silently cursed himself for not noticing the presence before. The man in the chair by the fireplace stood. Severus' mask faltered for a moment. The man was unfamiliar. But his eyes switched constantly between an angry red and a friendly green. Both he recognized.

"What do you want. You are obviously not the Dark Lord considering he's been dead for three years." Severus held his ground.

"I want her of course." The man smirked taking a seat behind a well used desk.

"You can't have her, so what is it you want from me?"

"I obviously want you to bring her to me, either that, or bring me to her. But, as I see that will not happen, I have a backup plan." The evil man continued his smirking when he flicked his wand. Severus gasped as he saw Hermione's parents bound on the floor, fear spiked through him when he realized just what this man had planned. He threw up his mental shields and ran through plan after plan, gathering the situation at hand and looking for a way to get out of it. Him along with Hermione's parents. Though he knew they couldn't remember her, she would still be devastated if they fell victim to who she tried to hide them from.

"So," Severus started as a distraction. "How is it that you can summon me as if you were the Dark Lord?"

"By taking his soul into mine of course." The evil man rolled his eyes. "But unfortunately, I can't take the Dark Lord into me without taking the Potter brat as well. So I'm stuck with both of them. Though, they are both very powerful wizards. Potter is just far too much of a goody goody for my liking."

"How did you manage that, may I ask?"

"Well, since there were no remains of Lord Voldemort, I had to use Potter's, and hope that some part of the Dark Lord's great power still resided in the boy."

"It would hurt Hermione dearly to learn that Harry Potter killed her parents, and is now seeking to kill her as well."

"I don't care." The man said, but as he said it, the red eyes they had been changed into a friendly and scared green. That was all Severus needed. He shot a powerful stunner at the man and he was thrown backwards. Severus ran, and before even stopping to think about it, he grabbed the Grangers, and spun in place. With a loud crack, the three of them were gone.

When he arrived in the living room at Grimmauld place he immediately worked to unbind the Grangers. Adrian ran into the room exited at having Severus back home, but he froze when he saw the other two in the room. Ginny came into the room, and Adrian ran to hide behind her.

"Severus...Who is that?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger. Hermione's parents. They don't remember her though. I'll give them a couple days to recoup before working on fixing their memories."

"Severus..." Severus looked up and saw Hermione in the doorway. She seemed to have been crying since he left, but new tears were forming in her eyes when she got a glimpse of who he had just unbound. He just nodded to her, and she turned and ran back upstairs to what was now her bedroom.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, I know this may be difficult for you to process," Severus began. "But all will be explained to you in due time. For right now though, I want you to know that you are safe."

"Where are we? Who are you?" Mrs. Granger spoke up, her voice trembling.

"Who was that?" Mr. Granger reached over and held his wife's hand.

"The girl that came down here is your daughter."

"We don't have a daughter...I think I would remember having children." Mrs. Granger said.

"Molly, Ginny, you have more patience to explain than I do, I need to check on Hermione." Severus turned around, leaving Hermione's parents with Molly and Ginny to explain.

When he got up the stairs he knocked on her door. What he saw when he opened the door scared him more than the red eyes of Voldemort.

"Erase their memories and put them into hiding, Severus." Hermione said in a flat voice.

"Why? They are here, we can restore their memories. You can have your family back."

Hermione stood from her perch on the edge of the bed and walked over to look out the window. "They deserve to live the rest of their lives without knowing anything about me, or magic. I can live with it. " She turned and looked in Severus' eyes. "They don't need a killer for a daughter." Her voice was flat, and her eyes looked dead. No emotion was betrayed when she spoke. It was like she wasn't even her.

"Hermione. We'll let them decide what they want to do. They deserve even that much. But we have more important stuff to deal with right now." Hermione turned to look back out the window. "Hermione, Harry's grave has been dug up."

Hermione turned around sharply, her frightened and angry eyes frantic. "Are you sure?"

"There really is no other way to explain what he's done. This person...I didn't catch his name. He's taken both Harry and the Dark Lord into himself. Because there was no remains from the Dark Lord, he tampered with Harry's. So he now has both Harry and Voldemort inside of him. Which makes him powerful, but also very unstable because now he has three agenda's to follow. His, Voldemort's and Harry's. Voldemort hasn't made his plan known. Harry will try and protect you, but this man's agenda is to kill you first."

"I've killed one Dark Lord, I can do it again." Hermione muttered.

"You don't understand Hermione. You won't be able to."

"Why the hell not, Severus? Do you doubt me?" Hermione's voice raised in volume as she glared at Severus.

"You won't be able to kill Harry." Severus said flatly. Hermione's gaze softened. "Harry is inside of him, and you saw how his eyes flicker. They flicker because the Dark Lord and Harry are fighting for dominance. If Harry came out while you were fighting him, you wouldn't be able to kill him. This needs to be left to me and the Aurors. Not you, and not the DA."

Hermione looked up at him. "We are training the DA Severus. We have no choice."

"By all means train them, and let them fight if they want to. But they can not go up against whoever this is. The new death eaters, yes. Not him though, do you hear me."  
"I want Harry to know he has a son. But I don't want to put Adrian in danger." Hermione looked down at her hands sadly. "I can't regret what happened with us because of Adrian. But sometimes I wish that I would have told Harry before. I wish I had never erased his memory of it all. It was stupid, and I was trying to protect us." Severus walked over and pulled her into his arms.

"I know Hermione, I know. If I can find a way to tell Harry without putting Adrian in danger, you know I will. He deserves to know. But he will probably have to die again, Hermione. I need you to understand that."

"Too many people have to die in this world. Why can't we keep them dead though. You aren't supposed to be able to bring the dead back to life."

"That's what makes all of this so unusual and dangerous. It could also mean that Harry may not have actually died. I know muggles tend to go into a coma, but witches and wizards don't usually know what to do about it, or how to tell. And there were so many deaths that it was easy to mistake him for dead."

"Yes, but typically in the muggle world, we keep you hooked up to machines that monitor your vitals, and others that provide you with nutrients and helps you breath to keep you alive. We don't bury those in a coma and leave them in the ground for 3 years. And that still doesn't explain how Harry could be in another person's body."

"Forced reincarnation?"

"Severus this isn't something to joke about." Hermione sighed, exasperatedly.

"Sadly, I'm not joking." Severus walked over to the chair at the desk and sat down tiredly. "It's some seriously dark magic, and very rare. But it is possible. It takes some very strong magic though, to do so, he could not have done it on his own, which is probably why he needed remains. Which is also probably why Harry and Voldemort has retained aspects of themselves from when they both were still living. Which is possibly why Harry is still able to retain Voldemort's powers because there wasn't a day after he turned a year old that wasn't consumed by the horcrux." Hermione laid down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "I'll have to go back to the school to find books on it. I'll probably have to travel to find it. I doubt Hogwarts would have anything as dark as that."

"I wouldn't say that. They did have books on Horcrux's."

"Horcrux isn't as dark as this. This is something I might find at Durmstrang which still teaches dark magic. Their belief is that Dark Magic is only evil if the person using it uses it that way. And I agree with that, I'm very knowledgeable in Dark Magic, and I do use it on occasion. But this? This is a bit much."

"I'll go with you." Hermione suggested.

"No. You need to stay here with Adrian. If I come across any trouble, the safest place is here at Grimmauld Place. Molly and the Weasley's will keep you and Adrian safe." Severus walked over and looked down into her amber eyes, and touched her cheek gently. "I can't put you into any more danger than you are already in, Hermione. I won't lose you. I've been trying to get you back for three years, patiently waiting, keeping tabs on you, trying to find you to make sure you stayed safe and healthy. I'm not letting you go now."

Hermione nodded and reached up and grasped the front of his cloak, pulling him down to her gently. He laid down next to her and wrapped her in his arms, and kissed her lightly. He finally got the chance to love Hermione, gently, thoroughly, and left her quite exhausted that she fell asleep immediately after. No concerns regarding the couple downstairs slowly processing what Molly and Ginny had admitted to them only moments ago.


End file.
